Cognitive outcomes of infusion therapies in Parkinson's disease : A comprehensive systematic review
Garon, Michela ; Scharfenort, Monica LU ; Antonini, Angelo ; Odin, Per LU
and Ljung, Hanna
LU
(2025)
In Parkinsonism and Related Disorders
138.
- Abstract
Background: Device-aided therapies, such as levodopa-and apomorphine-based infusion pumps, are widely used for managing patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) with symptoms inadequately controlled by oral medications. Cognitive impairment is a critical factor in selecting an appropriate therapy; however, the effects of levodopa/carbidopa intestinal gel (LCIG) and continuous subcutaneous apomorphine infusion (CSAI) on cognitive function remain debated. Objective: The aim of this review is twofold: i) to provide a comprehensive analysis of the short-term benefits of device-aided infusion therapies on cognitive function, and ii) to evaluate their impact on long-term cognitive trajectories. Methods: A systematic literature search was... (More)
Background: Device-aided therapies, such as levodopa-and apomorphine-based infusion pumps, are widely used for managing patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) with symptoms inadequately controlled by oral medications. Cognitive impairment is a critical factor in selecting an appropriate therapy; however, the effects of levodopa/carbidopa intestinal gel (LCIG) and continuous subcutaneous apomorphine infusion (CSAI) on cognitive function remain debated. Objective: The aim of this review is twofold: i) to provide a comprehensive analysis of the short-term benefits of device-aided infusion therapies on cognitive function, and ii) to evaluate their impact on long-term cognitive trajectories. Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted following PRISMA guidelines in PubMed, CINAHL, Cochrane, EMBASE, and MEDLINE. Narrative synthesis was applied to summarize results. Results: Out of 1911 studies, 33 were included in this systematic review according to the selected criteria. No studies examined the effects of the newly introduced Foslevodopa/Foscarbidopa (LDp/CDp) nor levodopa/entacapone/carbidopa intestinal gel (LECIG) pump therapy. Seventeen studies addressed the short-term effects of CSAI; seven reported cognitive slowing and two were suggestive of positive effects. Only two studies assessed its impact on long-term cognitive trajectory, showing no significant changes. Thirteen studies examined LCIG's short-term effects; seven reported cognitive changes, with some decreases in executive functions. Two studies explored its long-term cognitive impact, with one reporting improvements. Conclusions: The cognitive effects of device-aided treatments in PD show substantial variability, and their impact on cognitive function, processing speed, attention, and memory is inconsistent, with some studies reporting impairments and others indicating stability or slight improvements. The heterogeneity in study designs, neuropsychological assessments and coexisting vascular and amyloid pathology further complicates interpretation, underscoring the need for more controlled investigations.
(Less)
- author
- Garon, Michela
; Scharfenort, Monica
LU
; Antonini, Angelo
; Odin, Per
LU
and Ljung, Hanna
LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2025-09
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- Apomorphine, Carbidopa, Cognition, Cognitive dysfunction, Infusion pumps, Levodopa, Parkinson disease, Subcutaneous infusions
- in
- Parkinsonism and Related Disorders
- volume
- 138
- article number
- 107950
- publisher
- Elsevier
- external identifiers
-
- pmid:40731234
- scopus:105011984296
- ISSN
- 1353-8020
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.parkreldis.2025.107950
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- additional info
- Publisher Copyright: © 2025 The Authors
- id
- cd2bb8da-d366-4897-9173-5447a2811188
- date added to LUP
- 2026-01-07 13:20:11
- date last changed
- 2026-02-04 16:09:37
@article{cd2bb8da-d366-4897-9173-5447a2811188,
abstract = {{<p>Background: Device-aided therapies, such as levodopa-and apomorphine-based infusion pumps, are widely used for managing patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) with symptoms inadequately controlled by oral medications. Cognitive impairment is a critical factor in selecting an appropriate therapy; however, the effects of levodopa/carbidopa intestinal gel (LCIG) and continuous subcutaneous apomorphine infusion (CSAI) on cognitive function remain debated. Objective: The aim of this review is twofold: i) to provide a comprehensive analysis of the short-term benefits of device-aided infusion therapies on cognitive function, and ii) to evaluate their impact on long-term cognitive trajectories. Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted following PRISMA guidelines in PubMed, CINAHL, Cochrane, EMBASE, and MEDLINE. Narrative synthesis was applied to summarize results. Results: Out of 1911 studies, 33 were included in this systematic review according to the selected criteria. No studies examined the effects of the newly introduced Foslevodopa/Foscarbidopa (LDp/CDp) nor levodopa/entacapone/carbidopa intestinal gel (LECIG) pump therapy. Seventeen studies addressed the short-term effects of CSAI; seven reported cognitive slowing and two were suggestive of positive effects. Only two studies assessed its impact on long-term cognitive trajectory, showing no significant changes. Thirteen studies examined LCIG's short-term effects; seven reported cognitive changes, with some decreases in executive functions. Two studies explored its long-term cognitive impact, with one reporting improvements. Conclusions: The cognitive effects of device-aided treatments in PD show substantial variability, and their impact on cognitive function, processing speed, attention, and memory is inconsistent, with some studies reporting impairments and others indicating stability or slight improvements. The heterogeneity in study designs, neuropsychological assessments and coexisting vascular and amyloid pathology further complicates interpretation, underscoring the need for more controlled investigations.</p>}},
author = {{Garon, Michela and Scharfenort, Monica and Antonini, Angelo and Odin, Per and Ljung, Hanna}},
issn = {{1353-8020}},
keywords = {{Apomorphine; Carbidopa; Cognition; Cognitive dysfunction; Infusion pumps; Levodopa; Parkinson disease; Subcutaneous infusions}},
language = {{eng}},
publisher = {{Elsevier}},
series = {{Parkinsonism and Related Disorders}},
title = {{Cognitive outcomes of infusion therapies in Parkinson's disease : A comprehensive systematic review}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.parkreldis.2025.107950}},
doi = {{10.1016/j.parkreldis.2025.107950}},
volume = {{138}},
year = {{2025}},
}