Affiliations: Department of Medicine, Federal University of
Ceará, Ceará, Brazil
Note: [] Corresponding author: Veralice Meireles Sales de Bruin, Rua
Professor Costa Mendes 1608, 4°. Andar, Fortaleza, Ceará, CEP
60430040 Brazil. Fax: +55 8533668056; E-mail: [email protected]
Abstract: The aim of this study is to evaluate the acute effect of playing
games on executive function and motor ability in Parkinson's disease (PD).
Consecutive cases with PD were studied with the Unified Parkinson Disease
Rating Scale (UPDRS), Mini-Mental State examination (MMSE), Beck Depression
Inventory (BDI), Stroop test, finger tapping and 14-meter walk test. After
randomization, patients performed a game of dominoes and were tested before and
after experiment being further categorized as control, winners or non-winners.
Forty patients, 27 male (67.5%), aged 48 to 84 years (63.2 ± 8.5), Hoehn
& Yahr I to III were included. Twenty-eight (70%) presented depressive
symptoms (BDI > 10). Groups (Control N=13; Winners =14 and Non-winners=13)
were not different regarding age, disease duration, age at onset, BMI, MMSE
scores, depressive symptoms, levodopa dose, and previous practice of games.
Winners presented significantly better results on executive function (Stroop
test, p=0.002) and on motor activity (Finger tapping, p=0.01). Non-winners
showed a trend of better performance in the 14-meter-walk test. This study
shows that the practice of a non-reward game acutely improved memory and motor
skills in PD. Our results suggest a role for the reward system in the
modulation of the dopaminergic function of the basal ganglia in these
patients.
