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Occurrence and risk factors for apathy in Parkinson disease: a 4-year prospective longitudinal study
Pedersen KF, Alves G, Aarsland D, Larsen JP.. Journal of neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry, 2009-11-01
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
Background Apathy is a common but under-recognised behavioural disorder associated with depression and cognitive impairment in patients with Parkinson disease (PD). However, the longitudinal course of apathy in PD has not been studied. Objective To examine the occurrence of and risk factors for apathy over time in a representative sample of patients with PD. Methods A sample of 139 patients was drawn from a population-based prevalence study of PD in Rogaland County, Western Norway. Apathy was measured with the Neuropsychiatric Inventory, using a composite score >or=4 to indicate clinically significant apathy. Additional measurements included standardised rating scales for parkinsonism, depression and cognitive impairment. A follow-up evaluation was carried out in 79 patients (78.2% of the survivors) 4 years later. Results Of the 79 patients included in this study, 29 patients (36.7%) had never had apathy, 11 (13.9%) had persistent apathy, and a further 39 (49.4%) developed apathy during follow-up. At follow-up, patients with apathy were more frequently depressed and demented than never-apathetic patients. Dementia at baseline and a more rapid decline in speech and axial impairment during follow-up were independent risk factors for incident apathy. Conclusions Apathy is a persistent behavioural feature in PD with a high incidence and prevalence over time. Progression of motor signs predominantly mediated by non-dopaminergic systems may be a useful preclinical marker for incident apathy in PD.
Key findings
- Background Apathy is a common but under-recognised behavioural disorder associated with depression and cognitive impairment in patients with Parkinson disease (PD).
- Apathy was measured with the Neuropsychiatric Inventory, using a composite score >or=4 to indicate clinically significant apathy.
- Results Of the 79 patients included in this study, 29 patients (36.7%) had never had apathy, 11 (13.9%) had persistent apathy, and a further 39 (49.4%) developed apathy during follow-up.
Why it matters
This four-year study found that apathy was common and persistent in Parkinson's disease, with dementia at baseline and faster motor decline as risk factors. It is about a behavioral feature of Parkinson's disease and does not test any treatment, cure, or prevention for Alzheimer's disease.
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Study details
- Study designlongitudinal study
- Participants139
- Effect size78.2%; 36.7%; 13.9%
- Evidence strengthModerate
How this study scored 55/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a longitudinal study following the same people over time. Scored zero for randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Journal of neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry) |
| Journal's citation record | 3 / 4 | Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery & Psychiatry: journal h-index 336 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 7 / 12 | A longitudinal study following the same people over time |
| Strength of evidence | 3 / 5 | Rated “moderate” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 2009 — within 20 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 2 / 4 | 139 participants |
| Effect reported | 2 / 3 | Effect reported as a number, without an interval or test |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 5 / 7 | Cited 121 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 2 / 5 | 6.4 citations a year over 19 year(s) since 2009 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 6.6× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 1 / 6 | Cited by 2 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 1 / 4 | Cited 6 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 1 / 4 | Last-listed author J. P. Larsen: h-index 12 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | University of Bergen: institution h-index 806 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 19864662) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 55 / 100 | — |
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Read the original
- DOI: 10.1136/jnnp.2008.170043
- PubMed: 19864662
- Original source →
- Free full text: Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery & Psychiatry →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Pedersen, K. F., Alves, G., Aarsland, D., & Larsen, J. P. (2009). Occurrence and risk factors for apathy in Parkinson disease: a 4-year prospective longitudinal study. Journal of neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry. https://doi.org/10.1136/jnnp.2008.170043
Vancouver
Pedersen KF, Alves G, Aarsland D, Larsen JP. Occurrence and risk factors for apathy in Parkinson disease: a 4-year prospective longitudinal study. Journal of neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry. 2009. doi:10.1136/jnnp.2008.170043. PMID: 19864662.
BibTeX
@article{pedersen2009-19864662,
author = {Pedersen, K. F. and Alves, G. and Aarsland, D. and Larsen, J. P.},
title = {{Occurrence and risk factors for apathy in Parkinson disease: a 4-year prospective longitudinal study}},
journal = {Journal of neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry},
year = {2009},
doi = {10.1136/jnnp.2008.170043},
pmid = {19864662},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1136/jnnp.2008.170043}
}
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