Individuals with Parkinson’s disease (PD) commonly experience deficits in visuospatial functioning and nonverbal learning and memory. While the relationship between visuospatial functioning and PD and the relationship between nonverbal memory and PD have been established, the moderating impact of visuospatial functioning on nonverbal learning and memory performance amongst individuals with PD is not yet well understood. The current study explored the predictive effect of visuospatial functioning on nonverbal learning and memory performance in individuals with PD.

The study cohort (n = 154) included 67 individuals with PD (40 males and 27 females, aged 69.36 + 8.09 years) and 87 individuals who did not meet diagnostic criteria for a cognitive diagnosis (38 males and 49 females, aged 68.53 + 11.85 years) who underwent comprehensive neuropsychological assessment in an outpatient community neurology clinic. Visuospatial functioning was assessed via the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, Fourth Edition (WAIS-IV) – Visual Puzzles (VP) subtest and nonverbal learning and memory via the Brief Visuospatial Memory Test, Revised (BVMT-R). The impact of visuospatial functioning on the relationship between nonverbal learning and memory in individuals with and without a PD diagnosis was analyzed using multiple linear regression with visuospatial functioning predicting outcome variables of nonverbal learning and delayed recall.

Visuospatial functioning was not predictive of nonverbal learning or memory performance (p > .05). However, there was a significant interaction between PD and visuospatial functioning for nonverbal learning (F_(3,153) = 29.70, p < .0001, R² = .373) and delayed recall (F_(3,153) = 24.20, p < .0001, R² = .326), suggesting the effect of a PD diagnosis on nonverbal learning and delayed recall depends on visuospatial functioning. Specifically, consistent with prior research, individuals with PD had poorer nonverbal learning and delayed recall performance when their visuospatial functioning was also lower.

The interaction between PD and visuospatial functioning significantly predicted nonverbal memory performance, suggesting that having a diagnosis of PD and lower visuospatial abilities may negatively impact nonverbal learning and memory. Visuospatial functioning may be negatively impacted early in PD but proactively strengthening visuospatial skills may lead to longer-term preservation of nonverbal learning and memory.