Research Article

Neuroanatomical substrate of visuospatial and visuoperceptual impairment in Parkinson's disease†

  1. Joana B. Pereira MSc1,2,5,
  2. Carme Junqué PhD1,2,5,*,
  3. María-Jośe Martí MD, PhD2,3,5,
  4. Blanca Ramirez-Ruiz PhD1,2,5,
  5. Nuria Bargalló MD, PhD2,4,
  6. Eduardo Tolosa MD, PhD2,3,5

Article first published online: 1 MAY 2009

DOI: 10.1002/mds.22560

Issue

Movement Disorders

Movement Disorders

Volume 24, Issue 8, pages 1193–1199, 15 June 2009

Additional Information

How to Cite

Pereira, J. B., Junqué, C., Martí, M.-J., Ramirez-Ruiz, B., Bargalló, N. and Tolosa, E. (2009), Neuroanatomical substrate of visuospatial and visuoperceptual impairment in Parkinson's disease. Movement Disorders, 24: 1193–1199. doi: 10.1002/mds.22560

Author Information

  1. 1

    Department of Psychiatry and Clinical Psychobiology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain

  2. 2

    Institute of Biomedical Research August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain

  3. 3

    Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders Unit, Neurology Service, Institut Clínic de Neurociencies, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona

  4. 4

    Centre de Diagnòstic per la Imatge Hospital Clinic de Barcelona (CDIC), Barcelona, Spain

  5. 5

    Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades, Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Barcelona, Spain

*Departament de Psiquiatria i Psicobiologia Clínica, Universitat de Barcelona, IDIBAPS, Casanova 143, 08036 Barcelona, Spain

  1. †

    Potential conflict of interest: None.

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 18 JUN 2009
  2. Article first published online: 1 MAY 2009
  3. Manuscript Accepted: 26 FEB 2009
  4. Manuscript Received: 12 NOV 2008

Funded by

  • Distincio per a la Promocio de Recerca Universitaria Generalitat de Catalunya. Grant Numbers: 2005SGR00855, 2005SGR00856
  • Centro de Investigación Biomedica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED)

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Keywords:

  • Parkinson's disease;
  • visuospatial/visuoperceptual impairment;
  • voxel-based morphometry

Abstract

To determine magnetic resonance imaging patterns of gray matter (GM) atrophy underlying visuospatial and visuoperceptual impairment in Parkinson's disease (PD), we applied voxel-based morphometry to 36 nondemented PD patients and correlated their whole brain GM density with performance on three visuospatial and visuoperceptual tests. In addition, group comparisons between patients and 20 healthy controls were also performed. Correlations between visuospatial performance and GM density were found in the superior parietal lobules and the superior occipital gyrus of PD patients. Poor performance on visuoperceptual tests was also found to be significantly associated with GM decreases in the fusiform, the parahippocampus, and the middle occipital gyrus. Finally, group comparisons between controls and patients showed widespread GM cortical reductions in PD, involving posterior temporal and parietal regions. Taken together, these findings suggest that visuospatial and visuoperceptual dysfunctions reflect structural GM changes in temporo-parietal cortical regions of PD patients. © 2009 Movement Disorder Society

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