ATTENTIONAL FUNCTIONS IN MULTIPLE SYSTEM ATROPHY AND PARKINSONS-DISEASE

Objective-To assess cognitive performances of patients with striatonig ral degeneration type multiple system atrophy compared with those of p atients with Parkinson's disease. Methods-The cognitive performances o f a group of patients with multiple system atrophy of the striatonigra l type were compared with those of matched patients with Parkinson's d isease and controls, using tests sensitive to frontal lobe dysfunction . Results-The multiple system atrophy group, when compared with the Pa rkinson's disease group, showed significant deficits in attention task s, particularly in the Stroop test. Conclusion-There was a consistentl y greater impairment in attention resources in patients with multiple system atrophy than in patients with Parkinson's disease.