Intertemporal decision⁃making disorder in patients with Parkinson's disease

Objective To explore the intertemporal decision⁃making disorder in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). Methods From January 2020 to August 2021, a total of 36 patients with PD (PD group) who diagnosed and treated in The Second People's Hospital of Hefei and The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University were selected, and 39 healthy controls (control group) with matched gender age and eudcation were recruited. Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAMA), Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD), Mini⁃Mental State Examination (MMSE), Verbal Fluency Test (VFT), Digit Span Test (DST), and Stroop Color⁃Word Test (SCWT) were used to evaluate the neuropsychological characteristics, the delay⁃discount rate K value in the intertemporal decision⁃making paradigm were used to evaluate the intertemporal decision⁃making ability. Results Compared with control group, the PD group had a decrease in MMSE score (Z=⁃4.536, P=0.000), correct number of VFT (Z=⁃4.555, P=0.000), correct repetition of DST⁃forwards (Z=⁃4.696, P=0.000) and DST⁃backwards (Z=⁃3.261, P=0.001), while had an increase in HAMA score (Z=⁃5.153, P=0.000), HAMD score (Z=⁃5.637, P=0.000), Stroop C-A (Z=⁃7.105, P=0.000) and K value (Z=⁃3.209, P=0.004). Correlation analysis showed that there was no correlation between K value and MMSE score, correct number of VFT, Stroop C-A, and correct repetition of DST⁃forwards and DST⁃backwards in PD patients (P＞0.05, for all). Conclusions Patients with PD have symptoms of intertemporal decision⁃making disorder. They can't reasonably balance the value of delayed reward, prefer immediate reward, and have more impulsive decision⁃making behavior.