Background and objective: This study examined the clinical correlates of parkinsonian signs including neuropsychiatric symptoms, cognitive impairment and medical illness burden in the community-dwelling non-demented Chinese elderly.
Methods: A random sample of 765 Chinese elderly subjects from a thematic household survey was recruited. There were 389 normal elderly controls (Clinical Dementia Rating [CDR] 0) (NC) and 376 subjects with questionable dementia (CDR 0.5). The subjects with questionable dementia (CDR 0.5) were categorized into two groups: a MCI group (n = 291) and a very mild dementia (VMD) group (n = 85). Parkinsonian signs were measured by Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale- motor scale (UPDRS). The clinical correlates were investigated in each group.
Results: UPDRS motor score was associated with age, cumulative medical illness burden and cerebrovascular accidents in the normal control and MCI groups. It correlated negatively with MMSE scores in the NC group. It was associated with presence of soft signs in the NC and MCI groups; and apathy in the VMD group.
Conclusion: Neuropsychiatric symptoms, cognitive impairment and vascular risk factors had different patterns of associations with parkinsonian signs in the older persons with different degree of cognitive impairment.