Diagnosis Of Lewy Body Dementia Research Articles

Suicide ideation, attempts and deaths in people living with dementia (PLWD): A systematic review and meta‐analysis of prevalence and risk factors

AbstractBackgroundSuicide is a major public health concern. However, little is known about whether dementia is associated with suicide outcomes, and if so what the risk factors for suicide are in this group. This study aimed to conduct meta‐analyses to examine pooled associations between dementia and suicide outcomes (ideation, attempts, death by suicide) as well as pooled associations between risk factors (sex, dementia subtype) and suicidality in people living with dementia (PLWD).MethodSystematic searches were conducted in Medline, Embase, Psycinfo, Cinahl Plus, and Web of Science for keywords related to dementia and suicide. Quantitative studies with a sample of PLWD and suicidality as an outcome and that were available in English were included. Experimental studies, case reports and studies with a focus on euthanasia/assisted suicide, or self‐harm without suicidal intentionality were excluded. Relevant effect sizes were extracted and inverse variance weighted meta‐analyses were run using a random‐effects model.Result55 studies were included. Meta analyses showed that compared to people without dementia, having dementia was significantly associated with death by suicide (OR = 2.48, 95% CI:1.82;3.38), and suicidal ideation (OR = 2.29, 95% CI:1.75‐2.99), but not suicide attempts. Men with dementia were more at risk of attempting (OR = 1.28, 95% CI:1.25;1.31) and death by suicide (OR = 2.84, 95% CI:1.51;5.37) than women with dementia, but there was no difference in suicidal ideation. Compared with Alzheimer’s disease, people with vascular dementia (VaD), frontotemporal dementia (FTD), and other dementia (OD) types were significantly more likely to attempt suicide. People with Lewy body dementia (LBD) were significantly more likely to report suicidal ideation.ConclusionPLWD are at higher risk of suicidal ideation and death by suicide than those without dementia, but not suicide attempts. This could suggest that PLWD are not more likely to attempt suicide but are more likely to be successful when an attempt is made. Key risk factors for suicide attempts amongst PLWD are being male, sub‐type of dementia diagnosis (VaD, FTD and OD), while having a diagnosis of LBD is a risk factor for suicidal ideation. These results are important for understanding and managing risk in PLWD.

FC20: Prevalence, Incidence, and Clinical Features of Lewy Body Dementia in the South Eastern of Spain

Background:Lewy body dementia (LBD) is the second most common degenerative dementia in people over 65 (1,2). LBD is underdiagnosed, with only one third of patients correctly diagnosed in daily clinical practice (3); data on the distribution of the disease are scarce. Our study was designed to measure the incidence, prevalence and clinical characteristics of LBD in south-eastern Spain. Healthcare system in Spain is free and universal.Methods:Prospective epidemiological study of LBD in San Vicente del Raspeig between October 18, 2021, and October 17, 2022. The total population aged 60 or over based on the 2019 census was 11445 inhabitants (5227 males, 6218 females). Diagnosis of LBD was based on 2017 McKeith criteria. Only “probable” cases were registered for greater diagnostic certainty. Incidence was studied for the one-year period. Collected data included gender, age, cardinal symptoms for LBD, abnormal biomarkers, neuropsychiatric symptoms, medical treatment, years from diagnosis and GDS score (Reisberg) in the last visit. Protocol was approved by the ethical committee.Results:Global prevalence was 0.67% among the population over 60. Annual incidence was 3.2/1000 person-year.Mean age of prevalent cases was 78 years (SD 7.5). 68.8% were studied with at least one biomarker (mainly 123I-ioflupane and less frequent polysomnography or MIBG gammagraphy); most suffered 2 or 3 core symptoms (79.2%) (in descending order: parkinsonism, visual hallucinations, rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder and fluctuations). Two out of five prevalent cases were in an early phase of the disease: 22.1% in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and 16.9 % in mild dementia. Mean me of disease was 1.9 years (SD 2.2). Other neuropsychiatric symptoms appeared in up to 74% of patients (apathy 18,2%, anxiety 19,5%, depression 23,4%, minor hallucinations 22%, delusions 17%, auditory and tactile hallucinations 1,2%).Conclusions:Prevalence is in line with previous reports. Higher incidence than previously reported may be due to high attention on MCI-LBD and our expertise as a referral Memory Unit. We found a wide dominance of aged women and high prevalence of neuropsychiatric symptoms.

DNA methylation alterations in Lewy Body Dementia

AbstractBackgroundThe epigenetic mechanism of DNA methylation has been implicated in the pathophysiology of neurodegenerative disorders such as Lewy body dementia (LBD). DNA methylation profiling may help to identify novel treatment targets and early disease markers. We hypothesized that DNA methylation alterations are detectable in blood due the influence of genetic and environmental factors as well as immune system changes associated with LBD.MethodGenome‐wide DNA methylation profiling was carried out using reduced representation bisulfite sequencing in blood samples from 89 LBD patients and 67 controls. Fifty five LBD patients had amyloid PET imaging. Data processing was performed using FastQC, TrimGalore, Bismark and MethylKit. DNA methylation alterations at specific CpG sites as well as at promoter, CpG island and CpG shore regions were compared between LBD cases and controls. A log odds logistic regression was used to identify differential DNA methylation after adjusting for age, sex and smoking status. The false discovery rate (FDR) was used for correction for multiple testing. We also tested the diagnostic classification performance of the differentially methylated regions using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis and examined the potential of DNA methylation as a predictor of amyloid PET positivity in LBD.ResultTwo single CpG sites at TNFRSF1B and EMC6 and three CpG shore regions at ABCG5, ETAA1 and TENM4 reached genome‐wide significance in the differential DNA methylation analysis comparing LBD cases and controls. The combined panel of the top three differentially methylated CpG shores reached an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.91 for the diagnosis of LBD compared to controls (sensitivity 0.89, specificity 0.85). DNA methylation at TENM4 was associated with amyloid PET positivity in LBD with an AUC of 0.84 (sensitivity 0.99, specificity 0.55).ConclusionOur data suggest that DNA methylation alterations in blood are observed in a cohort of LBD patients compared to controls. Our findings need to be replicated in larger cohorts and tested for specificity in LBD in order to explore their future potential as diagnostic markers and/or targets for novel therapeutics.

Application of the modified qualitative scoring of MMSE pentagon test in the differential diagnosis of lewy body dementia and Alzheimer’s disease

AbstractBackgroundTo explore the value of the modified qualitative scoring of MMSE pentagon test (mQSPT) in the differential diagnosis of Lewy body dementia (DLB) and Alzheimer’s disease (AD).MethodStudy the patients who met the inclusion criteria in the Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University from January 2018 to August 2021. The baseline data of gender, age and education, Mini‐Mental State Examination (MMSE), Montreal Cognitive Assessment Scale (MoCA) and Clinical Dementia Assessment Scale (CDR) scores of 61 DLB patients and 71 AD patients were analyzed retrospectively. At the same time, the scores of sub items in the scale that can reflect visualspatial impairment were recorded,: i.e. connection test, cube copy, clock drawing test in MoCA, and pentagon copy test in MMSE. The images in MMSE pentagon copy test of these patients were further scored according to QSPT and mQSPT, and compared between the two groups. Multivariate stepwise logistic regression was used to analyze the differential efficacy of QSPT, mQSPT combined with other clinical psychological evaluation between DLB and AD.ResultThere were significant differences between DLB and AD patients in connection test, cube copy, clock drawing test, pentagon copy test, QSPT, mQSPT and gender, but there were no significant differences in MMSE, MoCA, age and education. The sensitivity of QSPT in differentiating DLB and AD was 71.8%, the specificity was 67.2%, the area under ROC curve was 0.682 (95%CI: 0.584‐0.772), and the cut‐off value was 9.5. The sensitivity of mQSPT in differentiating DLB and AD was 68.9%, the specificity was 84.5%, the area under ROC curve was 0.78 (95%CI: 0.696‐0.862), and the cut‐off value was 8.5. Multivariate stepwise logistic regression showed that while QSPT failed to establish any suitable modeling, mQSPT and cube copy were related to the distinction between the two diseases. Moreover, the efficacy of these two indexes to distinguish AD and DLB: the sensitivity was 70.5%, and the specificity was 84.1% and the area under the ROC curve was 0.817(95%CI: 0.743‐0.891).ConclusionThe mQSPT can be used for the screening tool in differential diagnosis between AD and DLB patients.

Serum TCA cycle metabolites in Lewy bodies dementia and Alzheimer's disease: Network analysis and cognitive prognosis

Abnormalities in the Tri-Carboxylic-Acid (TCA) cycle have been documented in dementia. Through network analysis, TCA cycle metabolites could indirectly reflect known dementia-related abnormalities in biochemical pathways, and key metabolites might be associated with prognosis. This study analyzed TCA cycle metabolites as predictors of cognitive decline in a mild dementia cohort and explored potential interactions with the diagnosis of Lewy Body Dementia (LBD) or Alzheimer's Disease (AD) and APOE-ε4 genotype. We included 145 mild dementia patients (LBD = 59; AD = 86). Serum TCA cycle metabolites were analyzed at baseline, and partial correlation networks were conducted. Cognitive performance was measured annually over 5-years with the Mini-mental State Examination. Longitudinal mixed-effects Tobit models evaluated each baseline metabolite as a predictor of 5-years cognitive decline. APOE-ε4 and diagnosis interactions were explored. Results showed comparable metabolite concentrations in LBD and AD. Multiple testing corrected networks showed larger coefficients for a negative correlation between pyruvate – succinate and positive correlations between fumarate – malate and citrate – Isocitrate in both LBD and AD. In the total sample, adjusted mixed models showed significant associations between baseline citrate concentration and longitudinal MMSE scores. In APOE-ε4 carriers, baseline isocitrate predicted MMSE scores. We conclude that, in mild dementia, serum citrate concentrations could be associated with subsequent cognitive decline, as well as isocitrate concentrations in APOE-ε4 carriers. Downregulation of enzymatic activity in the first half of the TCA cycle (decarboxylating dehydrogenases), with upregulation in the latter half (dehydrogenases only), might be indirectly reflected in serum TCA cycle metabolites' networks.

Costs During the Last Five Years of Life for Patients with Clinical and Pathological Confirmed Diagnosis of Lewy Body Dementia and Alzheimer's Disease.

Little is known regarding healthcare expenditures for patients with dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) during the end of life. This study estimated Medicare expenditures during the last 5 years of life in a decedent sample of patients who were clinically diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease (AD) or DLB and had autopsy confirmed diagnosis. The study included 58 participants clinically diagnosed with mild dementia at study entry (AD: n = 44, DLB: n = 14) and also had autopsy-confirmed diagnoses of pure AD (n = 32), mixed AD+Lewy body (LB) (n = 5), or pure LB (n = 11). Total Medicare expenditures were compared by clinical and pathology confirmed diagnosis, adjusting for sex, age at death, and patient's cognition, function, comorbidities, and psychiatric and extrapyramidal symptoms. When pathology diagnoses were not considered, predicted annualized total Medicare expenditures during the last 5 years of life were similar between clinically diagnosed AD ($7,465±1,098) and DLB ($7,783±1,803). When clinical diagnoses were not considered, predicted expenditures were substantially higher in patients with pathology confirmed mixed AD+LB ($12,005±2,455) than either pure AD ($6,173±941) or pure LB ($4,629±1,968) cases. Considering clinical and pathology diagnosis together, expenditures for patients with clinical DLB and pathology mixed AD+LB ($23,592±3,679) dwarfed other groups. Medicare expenditures during the last 5 years of life were substantially higher in patients with mixed AD+LB pathology compared to those with pure-AD and pure-LB pathologies, particularly in those clinically diagnosed with DLB. Results highlight the importance of having both clinical and pathology diagnoses in examining healthcare costs.

Long-acting Paliperidone Palmitate treatment in an Ekbom’s Syndrome secondary to Lewy Body Dementia: A case report

IntroductionEkbom Syndrome (ES) is a condition characterized by the fixed, delusional belief that one’s body is infested by parasites or other vermin, in absence of supporting clinical evidence. Literature suggests antipsychotic treatment for the management of behavioural and psychotic symptomatology, long-acting-injectable (LAI) antipsychotics for poor compliance.ObjectivesA case report of a 70-year-old woman with an ES diagnosis treated with LAI palmitate paliperidone was followed-up for an 8-months period, resulting in a confirmed diagnosis of secondary ES to Lewy Body Dementia (LBD).MethodsPatient was admitted to the local psychiatry ward presenting with new-onset visual and tactile hallucinations and social withdrawal. She was diagnosed with ES in a context of executive functions impairment. She was initially treated with risperidone, then switched to LAI Paliperidone due to poor compliance. Subsequently she was monitored monthly for 8 months by administering PANSS, MOCA, GAF, BPRS, PSP, complete neurocognitive assessment and neuroimaging studiesResultsAfter 8 months a progressive cognitive deterioration and worsening of motor impairment confirmed a secondary ES to a LBD. Meanwhile, a significant reduction of psychotic symptomatology (delusions and somatic hallucinations) was observed at BPRS and PANSS positive scale, even after treatment discontinuation due to the onset of extrapyramidal symptoms of the underlying condition.ConclusionsLAI Paliperidone treatment induced a complete remission of psychotic symptoms, with no relapse even after discontinuation of treatment. Moreover, close observation during follow-up allowed early diagnosis of LBD, which has been associated with a more favorable course.DisclosureNo significant relationships.

Organizations join forces to support early diagnosis of Lewy body dementia.

Alzheimer's & DementiaVolume 17, Issue 6 p. 1077-1078 ASSOCIATION UPDATE Organizations join forces to support early diagnosis of Lewy body dementia First published: 27 May 2021 https://doi.org/10.1002/alz.12386Read the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onEmailFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditWechat No abstract is available for this article. Volume17, Issue6June 2021Pages 1077-1078 RelatedInformation

849 REM Behavioral Disorder as a Predictor of Lewy body Dementia- A Case Report

Abstract Introduction Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) is one of the most common types of degenerative dementia after Alzheimer’s dementia. The core clinical features for diagnosis includes cognitive fluctuations, visual hallucinations, rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder (RBD), and parkinsonism. Other symptoms include daytime drowsiness, longer daytime naps, prolonged staring spells, and episodes of disorganized speech. REM behavioral disorder (RBD) is commonly associated with DLB, occurring in 85 percent of individuals, often early in the course of the disease. It can precede the clinical diagnosis of DLB by up to 20 years. Report of case(s) A seventy-six-year-old female with a history of well controlled obstructive sleep apnea was diagnosed with REM behavioral disorder in 2012. She had presented with episodes of screaming, attempt to ambulate during sleep, resulting in injury. Her polysomnogram revealed evidence of REM without atonia and a screaming episode during REM. Her RBD symptoms were controlled with clonazepam and melatonin with less frequency of the RBD episodes. The patient gradually started noticing memory issues and by January 2020 she was diagnosed with dementia and was initiated on Aricept. Within 7 months of diagnosis of dementia, she started reporting vivid hallucinations that were not threatening or violent compared to her violent content of RBD. Physical exam revealed impaired cognitive function and mild intermittent resting tremor of the right hand. The neurological exam was normal including normal tone, strength, and gait. She also reported repeated falls and fractures. The diagnosis of Lewy body dementia was made based on the presence of 2 core clinical features. Conclusion The current management of these conditions is mainly symptomatic. In the evolution of neurodegenerative disorder, RBD precedes other conditions like LBD, parkinsonism, etc. Research suggests that alpha-synuclein neurodegeneration is the common pathology behind these conditions. The understanding that RBD presents at the beginning of the evolution, provides us with a unique opportunity for preemptive treatment to prevent further degeneration in turn preventing the debilitation consequence like dementia, parkinsonism, neuroleptic sensitivity, and dysautonomia. Further research is needed for developing these early interventional strategies. Support (if any) NOne

Clinical diagnosis of Lewy body dementia.

Lewy body dementia, consisting of both dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) and Parkinson's disease dementia (PDD), is considerably under-recognised clinically compared with its frequency in autopsy series. This study investigated the clinical diagnostic pathways of patients with Lewy body dementia to assess if difficulties in diagnosis may be contributing to these differences. We reviewed the medical notes of 74 people with DLB and 72 with non-DLB dementia matched for age, gender and cognitive performance, together with 38 people with PDD and 35 with Parkinson's disease, matched for age and gender, from two geographically distinct UK regions. The cases of individuals with DLB took longer to reach a final diagnosis (1.2 v. 0.6 years, P = 0.017), underwent more scans (1.7 v. 1.2, P = 0.002) and had more alternative prior diagnoses (0.8 v. 0.4, P = 0.002), than the cases of those with non-DLB dementia. Individuals diagnosed in one region of the UK had significantly more core features (2.1 v. 1.5, P = 0.007) than those in the other region, and were less likely to have dopamine transporter imaging (P < 0.001). For patients with PDD, more than 1.4 years prior to receiving a dementia diagnosis: 46% (12 of 26) had documented impaired activities of daily living because of cognitive impairment, 57% (16 of 28) had cognitive impairment in multiple domains, with 38% (6 of 16) having both, and 39% (9 of 23) already receiving anti-dementia drugs. Our results show the pathway to diagnosis of DLB is longer and more complex than for non-DLB dementia. There were also marked differences between regions in the thresholds clinicians adopt for diagnosing DLB and also in the use of dopamine transporter imaging. For PDD, a diagnosis of dementia was delayed well beyond symptom onset and even treatment.

Dementia with Lewy bodies

A dementia syndrome is often associated with parkinsonoid extrapyramidal motor symptoms. Established consensus criteria allow the diagnosis of Lewy body dementia - however, this diagnosis based on clinical criteria does not exclude the diagnosis of dementia of different etiology. In everyday clinical practice, mixed forms with concomitant Alzheimer's disease or vascular encephalopathy do frequently occur.

The Enigma of Lewy Body Dementia: a Case Report

SUMMARYLewy body dementia is a progressive neurodegenerative disease and is considered to be the second most common cause of dementia in the elderly. Because of the complexity of clinical presentation, it is often misdiagnosed and mistaken for other dementias, which may result in administering inappropriate therapy, and thus worsening of the patient condition. We reviewed a case of a 71-year-old patient whose clinical presentation gradually occurred with complex visual hallucinations, atypical extrapyramidal motor symptoms, fluctuating cognitive impairments with delirious episodes, and oscillating syncope. Depressive mood, impaired daily functioning and sensitivity to antipsychotics were also noted. Extensive diagnostic workup was performed with neuropsychological testing and use of single-photon emission computerized tomography. Considering the clinical presentation and diagnostic procedures performed, the diagnosis of Lewy body dementia was set and pharmacotherapy was revised. We discuss the importance of taking overall clinical presentation and diagnostic treatment in consideration and applying appropriate therapy to slow down the progression of the disease and exacerbation of the patient’s psychological functions.

Diagnosis of Lewy Body Dementia at the Prodromal Stage

This article addresses questions in the diagnosis of Lewy body dementia at the prodromal stage. Despite clinical studies using standard international criteria, cases of divergence between clinical and pathological anatomical diagnoses are not infrequent. This review addresses approaches to the early and more accurate detection of Lewy body dementia and prognostication of the course of disease, as well as problems of the optimum treatment of disease.

MRI of the Swallow Tail Sign: A Useful Marker in the Diagnosis of Lewy Body Dementia?

There are, to date, no MR imaging diagnostic markers for Lewy body dementia. Nigrosome 1, containing dopaminergic cells, in the substantia nigra pars compacta is hyperintense on SWI and has been called the swallow tail sign, disappearing with Parkinson disease. We aimed to study the swallow tail sign and its clinical applicability in Lewy body dementia and hypothesized that the sign would be likewise applicable in Lewy body dementia. This was a retrospective cross-sectional multicenter study including 97 patients (mean age, 65 ± 10 years; 46% women), consisting of the following: controls (n = 21) and those with Lewy body dementia (n = 19), Alzheimer disease (n = 20), frontotemporal lobe dementia (n = 20), and mild cognitive impairment (n = 17). All patients underwent brain MR imaging, with susceptibility-weighted imaging at 1.5T (n = 46) and 3T (n = 51). The swallow tail sign was assessed independently by 2 neuroradiologists. Interrater agreement was moderate (κ = 0.4) between raters. An abnormal swallow tail sign was most common in Lewy body dementia (63%; 95% CI, 41%-85%; P < .001) and had a predictive value only in Lewy body dementia with an odds ratio of 9 (95% CI, 3-28; P < .001). The consensus rating for Lewy body dementia showed a sensitivity of 63%, a specificity of 79%, a negative predictive value of 89%, and an accuracy of 76%; values were higher on 3T compared with 1.5T. The usefulness of the swallow tail sign was rater-dependent with the highest sensitivity equaling 100%. The swallow tail sign has diagnostic potential in Lewy body dementia and may be a complement in the diagnostic work-up of this condition.

PREVALENCE OF LEWY BODY DEMENTIA AND NEUROLEPTIC TREATMENT IN NURSING HOMES IN MALMÖ, SWEDEN

Background: Lewy body Dementia (LBD) is a well-known neurocognitive disorder in the elderly. The hallmarks of LBD are Parkinsonism without tremor, recurrent and persistent visual hallucinations often with insight, fluctuating cognition and alertness, rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder with vivid dreams and violent movements, but relatively preserved memory functions. Nevertheless, LBD is often misdiagnosed and under-recognized. A diagnosis of LBD is important because of the risk of hypersensitivity for neuroleptic drugs. Moreover, appropriate treatment of symptoms can improve quality of life considerably for both the individual with LBD and their caregivers. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of possible LBD and neuroleptic treatment in elderly care recipients in nursing homes. Methods: Information regarding prevalence of symptoms of LBD and concurrent medication in 644 elderly living in nursing homes in Malmo, Sweden during the time period 2012-13 was collected. We used a questionnaire, medical journals and interviewed the nursing staff. In the questionnaire, symptoms representing the 4 LBD main characteristics were noted as present/absent; Parkinsonism, visual hallucinations, excessive daytime sleepiness, acting out dreams. Neuroleptic treatment was also noted as present or not, as well as the type of drug. Results: In total, 27.3% had_2 of 4 LBD symptoms. 7.1% had 3, and 3.0% had 4 of these symptoms. Visual hallucinations were observed in 20% and REM sleep behaviour disorder in 9% of the patients. Neuroleptic treatment increased significantly (p<0.001) with increasing number of LBD symptoms. In individuals with no symptoms 12.8%, 1 symptom 24.7%, 2 symptoms 26.9%, 3 symptoms 28.9%, and 4 symptoms 42.1% were treated with neuroleptics. Nine percent of the neuroleptics prescribed were of acceptable type (klozapin, quetiapin). Conclusions: Symptoms consistent with LBD are common in elderly in nursing homes. Despite the recommendations of avoiding neuroleptic treatment this was a common finding among the studied individuals. To minimize inappropriate medical treatment recognizing symptoms of LBD are important for general practitioners. (Less)

Utility of early imaging of myocardial innervation scintigraphy in the diagnosis of Lewy body dementia

The importance of accurate and early diagnosis of dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) lies in its pharmacological management. Delayed imaging of cardiac 123I-MIBG scintigraphy allows differentiation between DLB and other neurodegenerative diseases with cognitive impairment.The aim of this study was to assess the utility of early imaging of cardiac 123I-MIBG scintigraphy for differentiating DLB from others neurodegenerative disease with cognitive impairment. Material and methodsWe assess retrospectively 106 patients (51 men, mean age 78 years) with cognitive impairment that underwent a cardiac 123I-MIBG study. Planar images were acquired in anterior view of the thorax 15min (early) and 4h (delayed) after tracer administration. The heart-to-mediastinum ratios (HMR) at 15m (HMR15m) and at 4h (HMR4h) were obtained. ResultsAfter four years, 52 patients were diagnosed of DLB.HMR15m and HMR4h were significantly inferior in DLB respect to the others neurodegenerative diseases (1.27±0.15 vs 1.76±0.15, p<0.05) and (1.14±0.13 vs 1.68±0.19, p<0.01), respectively. The ROC analysis showed a HMR15m cut off point of 1.56 to differentiated DLB from the other dementias with a sensitivity and a specificity of 98%. ConclusionsEarly imaging of cardiac 123I-MIBG scintigraphy can help to differentiate DLB from other neurodegenerative diseases with cognitive impairment.

Sympathetic skin response and heart rate variability as diagnostic tools for the differential diagnosis of Lewy body dementia and Alzheimer's disease: a diagnostic test study

ObjectiveThe purpose of this study is to investigate the usefulness of sympathetic skin response (SSR) and heart rate variability (HRV) for the differential diagnosis of patients with dementia with Lewy...

The applause sign in cortical and cortical-subcortical dementia

The "applause sign" is a motor perseveration described in focal and neurodegenerative disorders and characterized by fronto-subcortical dysfunction. Most previous formal investigations focused on Parkinson's disease or progressive supranuclear palsy. We assessed the prevalence of the applause sign in patients affected by Alzheimer's disease (AD), Lewy body dementia (LBD), corticobasal syndrome (CBS), and posterior cortical atrophy (PCA), with the aim to verify its contribution to the differential diagnosis. We enrolled 20 patients with AD, 20 with LBD, 16 with CBS, and ten with PCA, and 30 healthy controls. The three clap test (TCT) was used to elicit the applause sign, and was scored by raters blinded to the diagnosis. Correlation with motor (extrapyramidal) and cognitive measures was also performed. A maximum 40 % prevalence of a positive applause sign was found in the two parkinsonian syndromes, which could be discriminated from the two cortical groups with a positive predictive value of 82 % and a negative predictive value of 55 %. According to our findings, a diagnosis of LBD or CBS, rather than of AD or PCA, is highly probable in the presence of an abnormal TCP, but cannot be ruled out based on a negative result. No relevant correlates emerged that could clarify the origin and nature of the applause sign.

White Matter Hyperintensities in Mild Lewy Body Dementia

Background: The objective of this study was to explore the load of white matter hyperintensities (WMH) in patients with Lewy body dementia (LBD) and compare to Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and normal controls (NC). Methods: Diagnosis of LBD and AD was made according to consensus criteria and cognitive tests were administered. MRI scans for 77 (61 AD and 16 LBD) patients and 37 healthy elderly control subjects were available for analysis. We segmented WMH from FLAIR images using an automatic thresholding technique and calculated the volume of WMH in several regions of the brain, using non-parametric tests to compare groups. Multivariate regression was applied. Results: There were no significant differences in WMH between AD and LBD. We found a significant correlation between total and frontal WMH and Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and verbal fluency scores in the AD group, but not in the LBD group. Conclusion: The WMH load in LBD was similar to that of AD. A correlation between WMH load and cognition was found in the AD group, but not in the LBD group, suggesting that vascular disease contributes to cognitive impairment in AD but not LBD.

The “Closing-In” Phenomenon in Parkinson’s Disease Dementia and Lewy-Body Dementia

The “Closing-In” Phenomenon in Parkinson’s Disease Dementia and Lewy-Body Dementia