Connecting the Lab to Everyday Life: The Relevance of Executive Dysfunction to Participation and Quality of Life in Parkinson's Disease (PD) Without Dementia

The overall purpose of this research is to learn how Parkinson's disease affects thinking
and memory in everyday life. Participation will involve thinking tests, questionnaires and
interviews about thinking and activities in everyday life.

Inclusion Criteria PD participants:

- WUSM Movement Disorders Clinic patients

- males or females between 40 and 70

- meet criteria for idiopathic typical PD

- classified at Hoehn & Yahr12 stage I, II, or III

- are currently treated with levodopa/carbidopa

Inclusion Criteria Control:

- The groups will be matched for age, education and gender

- No Parkinson Disease

Exclusion Criteria PD participants and Control:

- suspected dementia

- treatment with certain dopaminergic, anticholinergic or benzodiazepine medications

- other neurological problems

- brain surgery

- history or current psychotic disorder

- any condition which would interfere with testing

- control only: a biological family history of PD and being a caregiver or spouse of
someone who has PD