Affiliations: Department of Clinical and Developmental
Neuropsychology, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands | Department of Neurology, University Medical Center
Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
Note: [] Corresponding author: Dr. J. Koerts, Department Clinical and
Developmental Neuropsychology, University of Groningen, Grote Kruisstraat 2/1,
9712 TS Groningen, The Netherlands. Tel.: +31 50363 6016; Fax: +31 50363 7602;
E-mail: [email protected]
Abstract: Parkinson's disease (PD) is, apart from the well-known motor
symptoms, also characterized by neuropsychological and emotional disturbances.
However, patients also often present with a personality profile of low Novelty
Seeking and high Harm Avoidance. This profile can be identified as the disease
emerges, which raises the question whether these traits correlate with more
fundamental neuropsychological and emotional disturbances. This study
determined the neuropsychological and emotional correlates of Novelty Seeking,
Harm Avoidance and two other personality traits that are often considered in
PD, i.e. Reward Dependence and Persistence. Forty-three patients and 25 healthy participants were assessed with
the Temperament and Character Inventory, a symptoms of depression questionnaire
and neuropsychological tests. PD patients showed a higher Harm Avoidance than healthy
participants, which was predicted by symptoms of depression. Groups did not
differ regarding Novelty Seeking, Reward Dependence and Persistence. While
cognitive flexibility was a predictor of Reward Dependence, Persistence was
predicted by divergent thinking and inhibition. Novelty Seeking was not
predicted by cognition or emotion. In conclusion, cognition and emotion are selectively related to
personality traits in PD. Whereas Harm Avoidance covaries with emotional
symptoms, Persistence and Reward Dependence are related to cognition.
Alterations in personality, cognition and emotion in PD are thus not
independent from each other.
