Systematic review of neuropsychological instruments used in subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation in Parkinson´s disease patients

In addition to drug treatment, surgical intervention represents an alternative to PD patients with motor deficits. The most common intervention is subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation (STN-DBS). It is extremely important to perform a neuropsychological assessment in patients with STN-DBS, not only to identify losses related to the disease, but also to compare influence on cognition both pre and postoperatively. OBJECTIVE: the objective of this systematic review was to investigate the instruments frequently used in studies related to STN-DBS in PD patients. METHODS: articles were retrieved from Medline/Pubmed databases published in the 2007-2017 period using PRISMA criteria. RESULTS: after analyzing 27 articles, the absence of a specific evaluation protocol for PD with STN-DBS was evident. CONCLUSION: non-motor symptoms are not given due importance in neuropsychological assessments. It is crucial to acknowledge that these symptoms have a major impact on the quality of life of patients. Greater engagement in assessing these aspects is required, in order to bridge the gaps in research.