Parkinson's disease is known to affect one out of every two individuals with regular hallucinations. Interestingly, these hallucinations manifest before more recognized symptoms like tremors for about one-third of the patients. We conducted an intensive study involving 75 Parkinson's patients aged between 60 and 70. The study incorporated neuropsychological interviews assessing cognitive deterioration and electroencephalography (EEG) to observe the brain's resting state.
Unmasking the Early Signs
Participants were inquired about their hallucination experiences. The findings revealed a more accelerated cognitive decline in frontal executive function over five years for those who encountered hallucinations early in the disease progression. This function encompasses attention, problem-solving, emotional regulation, and impulse control. "Early hallucinations in Parkinson's disease should not be overlooked," says Olaf Blanke, a physician and neurologist from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, or EPFL).
Identifying Brain Activity Patterns
Our team also detected an increased pattern of frontal theta oscillatory activity (4 to 8 Hz) in the brain, specifically for those with early hallucinations amidst Parkinson's disease. This is another factor that health care providers might consider in future diagnoses. Blanke and his colleagues urge Parkinson's patients experiencing hallucinations to share these experiences with their doctors since such occurrences are often either unreported, disregarded, or perceived as side effects of treatment.
The Path Forward
"Identifying early dementia signs enables us to manage the disease from an early stage, fostering the development of enhanced, personalized therapies that aim to alter the disease course and boost cognitive function," Blanke explains. As hallucinations are false sensory perceptions typically arising from brain function abnormalities, their increased prevalence in brain diseases like Parkinson's isn't surprising. The following research step involves exploring ways to utilize this early warning system conveniently and reliably. This might entail identifying brain activity patterns associated with hallucinations, possibly even before their actual manifestation. "While we currently have evidence associating cognitive decline and early hallucinations with Parkinson's disease, this could also apply to other neurodegenerative diseases," Blanke concludes.
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