Welcome to the NeurologyLive® Mind Moments® podcast. Tune in to hear leaders in neurology sound off on topics that impact your clinical practice.

In this Mind Moments episode, Greg Pontone, MD, Chief of Aging Behavioral and Cognitive Neurology at the University of Florida, joins the podcast to discuss the interplay between cognition and Parkinson disease, with a focus on how clinicians can better recognize and manage cognitive changes across the disease course. Pontone outlines the prevalence of early cognitive impairment, noting that a significant proportion of patients may present with subtle deficits at diagnosis, particularly in executive function and processing speed. 

The conversation explores the impact of commonly used medications on cognition, including anticholinergics and benzodiazepines, and how clinicians can balance therapeutic benefit with cognitive risk. Pontone also reviews current treatment strategies, including cholinesterase inhibitors and memantine, while emphasizing the importance of nonpharmacologic approaches such as structured routines and cognitive training. Additional discussion highlights the evolving role of biomarkers, the overlap between Parkinson disease and Alzheimer pathology, and the need for earlier recognition, better patient education, and continued research to improve long-term cognitive outcomes in this population.

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Episode Breakdown:

The stories featured in this week's Neurology News Minute, which will give you quick updates on the following developments in neurology, are further detailed here: