Serial Nigrostriatal Dopaminergic Imaging in Mild Cognitive Impairment With Lewy Bodies, Alzheimer Disease, and Age-Matched Controls.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Progressive nigrostriatal pathway degeneration occurs in individuals with dementia with Lewy bodies (LB). Our objective was to investigate whether repeat 123[I]-N-(3-fluoropropyl)-2ß-carboxymethoxy-3ß-(4-iodophenyl) nortropane (FP-CIT) single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) can identify progressive dopaminergic loss in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) with Lewy bodies (MCI-LB). METHODS: Individuals with MCI-LB and MCI due to Alzheimer disease (MCI-AD) underwent comprehensive clinical assessment, 123[I]-FP-CIT SPECT at baseline and annual reviews, and baseline cardiac 123 iodine metaiodobenzylguanidine (I-MIBG). Mixed-effects models were used to investigate changes in 123[I]-FP-CIT specific binding ratio (SBR) in the striatum for each diagnostic group compared with controls. The time interval to the development of a quantitatively abnormal 123[I]-FP-CIT SPECT in the possible and probable MCI-LB groups was determined as the time it took for these groups to reach a striatal uptake 2 SDs below aged-matched controls. Test-retest variation was assessed using baseline and repeat scans in controls. RESULTS: We recruited 20 individuals with MCI-AD, 11 with possible MCI-LB, 25 with probable MCI-LB, and 29 age-matched controls. The mean time between baseline and the final image was 1.6 years (SD = 0.9, range 1.0-4.3). The annual estimated change in SBR was 0.23 for controls (95% CI -0.07 to 0.53), -0.09 (-0.55 to 0.36) for MCI-AD, -0.50 (-1.03 to 0.04) for possible MCI-LB, and -0.48 (-0.89 to -0.06) for probable MCI-LB. The median annual percentage change in SBR in MCI-LB was -5.6% (95% CI -8.2% to -2.9%) and 2.1% (-3.5% to 8.0%) for MCI-AD. The extrapolated time for a normal scan to become abnormal was 6 years. Controls and MCI-AD showed no significant change in dopaminergic binding over time. The mean test-retest variation in controls was 12% (SD 5.5%), which cautions against overinterpretation of small changes on repeat scanning. DISCUSSION: Progressive dopaminergic loss in the striatum is detectable using 123[I]-FP-CIT SPECT in MCI-LB at a group level. In clinical practice, individual change in striatal 123[I]-FP-CIT uptake seems to be of limited diagnostic value because of high test-retest variation. CLASSIFICATION OF EVIDENCE: This study provides Class II evidence that longitudinal declines in striatal uptake measured using 123[I]-FP-CIT SPECT are associated with MCI due to Lewy body disease but not MCI due to Alzheimer disease.

Gait-Related Metabolic Covariance Networks at Rest in Parkinson's Disease.

BACKGROUND: Gait impairments are characteristic motor manifestations and significant predictors of poor quality of life in Parkinson's disease (PD). Neuroimaging biomarkers for gait impairments in PD could facilitate effective interventions to improve these symptoms and are highly warranted. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to identify neural networks of discrete gait impairments in PD. METHODS: Fifty-five participants with early-stage PD and 20 age-matched healthy volunteers underwent quantitative gait assessment deriving 12 discrete spatiotemporal gait characteristics and [18 F]-2-fluoro-2-deoxyglucose-positron emission tomography measuring resting cerebral glucose metabolism. A multivariate spatial covariance approach was used to identify metabolic brain networks that were related to discrete gait characteristics in PD. RESULTS: In PD, we identified two metabolic gait-related covariance networks. The first correlated with mean step velocity and mean step length (pace gait network), which involved relatively increased and decreased metabolism in frontal cortices, including the dorsolateral prefrontal and orbital frontal, insula, supplementary motor area, ventrolateral thalamus, cerebellum, and cuneus. The second correlated with swing time variability and step time variability (temporal variability gait network), which included relatively increased and decreased metabolism in sensorimotor, superior parietal cortex, basal ganglia, insula, hippocampus, red nucleus, and mediodorsal thalamus. Expression of both networks was significantly elevated in participants with PD relative to healthy volunteers and were not related to levodopa dosage or motor severity. CONCLUSIONS: We have identified two novel gait-related brain networks of altered glucose metabolism at rest. These gait networks could serve as a potential neuroimaging biomarker of gait impairments in PD and facilitate development of therapeutic strategies for these disabling symptoms. © 2022 The Authors. Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

Spatial covariance analysis of FDG-PET and HMPAO-SPECT for the differential diagnosis of dementia with Lewy bodies and Alzheimer's disease.

We investigated diagnostic characteristics of spatial covariance analysis (SCA) of FDG-PET and HMPAO-SPECT scans in the differential diagnosis of dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) and Alzheimer's disease (AD), in comparison with visual ratings and region of interest (ROI) analysis. Sixty-seven patients (DLB 29, AD 38) had both HMPAO-SPECT and FDG-PET scans. Spatial covariance patterns were used to separate AD and DLB in an initial derivation group (DLB n=15, AD n=19), before being forward applied to an independent group (DLB n=14, AD n=19). Visual ratings were by consensus, with ROI analysis utilising medial occipital/medial temporal uptake ratios. SCA of HMPAO-SPECT performed poorly (AUC 0.59±0.10), whilst SCA of FDG-PET (AUC 0.83±0.07) was significantly better. For FDG-PET, SCA showed similar diagnostic performance to ROI analysis (AUC 0.84±0.08) and visual rating (AUC 0.82±0.08). In contrast to ROI analysis, there was little concordance between SCA and visual ratings of FDG-PET scans. We conclude that SCA of FDG-PET outperforms that of HMPAO-SPECT. SCA of FDG-PET also performed similarly to the other analytical approaches, despite the limitations of a relatively small SCA derivation group. Compared to visual rating, SCA of FDG-PET relies on different sources of group variance to separate DLB from AD.

Functional and structural brain network correlates of visual hallucinations in Lewy body dementia.

Visual hallucinations are a common feature of Lewy body dementia. Previous studies have shown that visual hallucinations are highly specific in differentiating Lewy body dementia from Alzheimer's disease dementia and Alzheimer-Lewy body mixed pathology cases. Computational models propose that impairment of visual and attentional networks is aetiologically key to the manifestation of visual hallucinations symptomatology. However, there is still a lack of experimental evidence on functional and structural brain network abnormalities associated with visual hallucinations in Lewy body dementia. We used EEG source localization and network based statistics to assess differential topographical patterns in Lewy body dementia between 25 participants with visual hallucinations and 17 participants without hallucinations. Diffusion tensor imaging was used to assess structural connectivity between thalamus, basal forebrain and cortical regions belonging to the functionally affected network component in the hallucinating group, as assessed with network based statistics. The number of white matter streamlines within the cortex and between subcortical and cortical regions was compared between hallucinating and not hallucinating groups and correlated with average EEG source connectivity of the affected subnetwork. Moreover, modular organization of the EEG source network was obtained, compared between groups and tested for correlation with structural connectivity. Network analysis showed that compared to non-hallucinating patients, those with hallucinations feature consistent weakened connectivity within the visual ventral network, and between this network and default mode and ventral attentional networks, but not between or within attentional networks. The occipital lobe was the most functionally disconnected region. Structural analysis yielded significantly affected white matter streamlines connecting the cortical regions to the nucleus basalis of Meynert and the thalamus in hallucinating compared to not hallucinating patients. The number of streamlines in the tract between the basal forebrain and the cortex correlated with cortical functional connectivity in non-hallucinating patients, while a correlation emerged for the white matter streamlines connecting the functionally affected cortical regions in the hallucinating group. This study proposes, for the first time, differential functional networks between hallucinating and not hallucinating Lewy body dementia patients, and provides empirical evidence for existing models of visual hallucinations. Specifically, the outcome of the present study shows that the hallucinating condition is associated with functional network segregation in Lewy body dementia and supports the involvement of the cholinergic system as proposed in the current literature.

Quantifying test-retest reliability of repeated objective attentional measures in Lewy body dementia.

Objective cognitive impairment is a feature of Lewy body dementia (LBD), and computerised attentional tasks are commonly used as outcome measures in interventional trials. However, the reliability of these measures, in the absence of interventions, are unknown. This study examined the reliability of these attentional measures at short-term and longer-term follow-up stages. LBD patients (n = 36) completed computerised attentional tasks [simple and choice reaction time, and digit vigilance (SRT, CRT, DV)] at short-term (Day 0-Day 5) and longer-term (4 and 12 weeks) follow-up. Intra-class correlations (ICCs) were calculated to assess test-retest reliability. At short-term, the reciprocal SRT, CRT and DV mean reaction time to correct answers, the reciprocal DV coefficient of variation, and reciprocal power of attention (PoA) all showed excellent levels of reliability (all ICCs > 0.90). The reciprocal PoA showed the highest level of reliability (ICC = 0.978). At longer-term follow-up, only the reciprocal PoA had excellent levels of reliability (ICC = 0.927). Reciprocal SRT, CRT and DV reaction time to correct answers, and the CRT coefficient of variation values, showed good levels of test-retest reliability (ICCs ≥ 0.85). Contrary to expectations, most attentional measures demonstrated high levels of test-retest reliability at both short-term and longer-term follow-up time points. The reciprocal PoA composite measure demonstrated excellent levels of test-retest reliability, both in the short-term and long-term. This indicates that objective attentional tasks are suitable outcome measures in LBD studies and that the composite PoA measure may offer the highest levels of reliability.

Frontal white matter lesions in Alzheimer's disease are associated with both small vessel disease and AD-associated cortical pathology.

Cerebral white matter lesions (WML) encompass axonal loss and demyelination and are assumed to be associated with small vessel disease (SVD)-related ischaemia. However, our previous study in the parietal lobe white matter revealed that WML in Alzheimer's disease (AD) are linked with degenerative axonal loss secondary to the deposition of cortical AD pathology. Furthermore, neuroimaging data suggest that pathomechanisms for the development of WML differ between anterior and posterior lobes with AD-associated degenerative mechanism driving posterior white matter disruption, and both AD-associated degenerative and vascular mechanisms contributed to anterior matter disruption. In this pilot study, we used human post-mortem brain tissue to investigate the composition and aetiology of frontal WML from AD and non-demented controls to determine if frontal WML are SVD-associated and to reveal any regional differences in the pathogenesis of WML. Frontal WML tissue sections from 40 human post-mortem brains (AD, n = 19; controls, n = 21) were quantitatively assessed for demyelination, axonal loss, cortical hyperphosphorylated tau (HPτ) and amyloid-beta (Aß) burden, and arteriolosclerosis as a measure of SVD. Biochemical assessment included Wallerian degeneration-associated protease calpain and the myelin-associated glycoprotein to proteolipid protein ratio as a measure of ante-mortem ischaemia. Arteriolosclerosis severity was found to be associated with and a significant predictor of frontal WML severity in both AD and non-demented controls. Interesting, frontal axonal loss was also associated with HPτ and calpain levels were associated with increasing Aß burden in the AD group, suggestive of an additional degenerative influence. To conclude, this pilot data suggest that frontal WML in AD may result from both increased arteriolosclerosis and AD-associated degenerative changes. These preliminary findings in combination with previously published data tentatively indicate regional differences in the aetiology of WML in AD, which should be considered in the clinical diagnosis of dementia subtypes: posterior WML maybe associated with degenerative mechanisms secondary to AD pathology, while anterior WML could be associated with both SVD-associated and degenerative mechanisms.

Spatial Covariance of Cholinergic Muscarinic M1 /M4 Receptors in Parkinson's Disease.

BACKGROUND: Parkinson's disease (PD) is associated with cholinergic dysfunction, although the role of M1 and M4 receptors remains unclear. OBJECTIVE: To investigate spatial covariance patterns of cholinergic muscarinic M1 /M4 receptors in PD and their relationship with cognition and motor symptoms. METHODS: Some 19 PD and 24 older adult controls underwent 123 I-iodo-quinuclidinyl-benzilate (QNB) (M1 /M4 receptor) and 99m Tc-exametazime (perfusion) single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) scanning. We implemented voxel principal components analysis, producing a series of images representing patterns of intercorrelated voxels across individuals. Linear regression analyses derived specific M1 /M4 spatial covariance patterns associated with PD. RESULTS: A cholinergic M1 /M4 pattern that converged onto key hubs of the default, auditory-visual, salience, and sensorimotor networks fully discriminated PD patients from controls (F1,41  = 135.4, P < 0.001). In PD, we derived M1 /M4 patterns that correlated with global cognition (r = -0.62, P = 0.008) and motor severity (r = 0.53, P = 0.02). Both patterns emerged with a shared topography implicating the basal forebrain as well as visual, frontal executive, and salience circuits. Further, we found a M1 /M4 pattern that predicted global cognitive decline (r = 0.46, P = 0.04) comprising relative decreased binding within default and frontal executive networks. CONCLUSIONS: Cholinergic muscarinic M1 /M4 modulation within key brain networks were apparent in PD. Cognition and motor severity were associated with a similar topography, inferring both phenotypes possibly rely on related cholinergic mechanisms. Relative decreased M1 /M4 binding within default and frontal executive networks could be an indicator of future cognitive decline. © 2021 The Authors. Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

Accuracy of Cardiac Innervation Scintigraphy for Mild Cognitive Impairment With Lewy Bodies.

OBJECTIVE: To provide evidence that cardiac I-123-metaiodobenzylguanidine sympathetic innervation imaging (MIBG) scintigraphy differentiates probable mild cognitive impairment with Lewy bodies (MCI-LB) from mild cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer disease (MCI-AD), we scanned patients with MCI and obtained consensus clinical diagnoses of their MCI subtype. We also performed baseline FP-CIT scans to compare the accuracy of MIBG and FP-CIT. METHODS: We conducted a prospective cohort study into the accuracy of cardiac MIBG scintigraphy in the diagnosis of MCI-LB. Follow-up clinical assessment was used to diagnose MCI-AD (no core features of MCI-LB and normal FP-CIT), probable MCI-LB (2 or more core features, or 1 core feature with abnormal FP-CIT), or possible MCI-LB (1 core feature or abnormal FP-CIT). For the comparison between MIBG and FP-CIT, only core clinical features were used for diagnosis. RESULTS: We recruited 95 people with mild cognitive impairment. Cardiac MIBG was abnormal in 22/37 probable and 2/15 possible MCI-LB cases and normal in 38/43 MCI-AD cases. The sensitivity in probable MCI-LB was 59% (95% confidence interval [CI], 42%-75%), specificity 88% (75%-96%), and accuracy 75% (64%-84%). The positive likelihood ratio was 5.1 and negative likelihood ratio 0.46. With symptom-only diagnoses, the accuracies were 79% for MIBG (95% CI, 68%-87%) and 76% for FP-CIT (95% CI, 65%-85%). CONCLUSIONS: Cardiac MIBG appears useful in early disease, with an abnormal scan highly suggestive of MCI-LB. Validation in a multicenter setting is justified. CLASSIFICATION OF EVIDENCE: This study provides Class I evidence that cardiac MIBG distinguishes MCI-LB from MCI-AD.

Concomitant neurodegenerative pathologies contribute to the transition from mild cognitive impairment to dementia.

INTRODUCTION: The aged brain frequently exhibits multiple pathologies, rather than a single hallmark pathology (pure pathology [PurP]), ranging from low/intermediate levels of additional pathology (LowP) to mixed severe pathology (mixed SevP). We investigated the frequency of PurP, LowP, and mixed SevP, and the impact of additional LowP on cognition. METHODS: Data came from 670 cases from the Brains for Dementia research program. Cases were categorized into PurP, mixed SevP, or a main disease with additional LowP; 508 cases had a clinical dementia rating. RESULTS: 69.9% of cases had LowP, 22.7% had PurP, and 7.5% had mixed SevP. Additional LowP increased the likelihood of having mild dementia versus mild cognitive impairment (MCI) by almost 20-fold (odds ratio = 19.5). DISCUSSION: Most aged individuals have multiple brain pathologies. The presence of one additional LowP can significantly worsen cognitive decline, increasing the risk of transitioning from MCI to dementia 20-fold. Multimorbidity should be considered in dementia research and clinical studies.

Accuracy of dopaminergic imaging as a biomarker for mild cognitive impairment with Lewy bodies.

BACKGROUND: Dopaminergic imaging is an established biomarker for dementia with Lewy bodies, but its diagnostic accuracy at the mild cognitive impairment (MCI) stage remains uncertain. AIMS: To provide robust prospective evidence of the diagnostic accuracy of dopaminergic imaging at the MCI stage to either support or refute its inclusion as a biomarker for the diagnosis of MCI with Lewy bodies. METHOD: We conducted a prospective diagnostic accuracy study of baseline dopaminergic imaging with [123I]N-ω-fluoropropyl-2ß-carbomethoxy-3ß-(4-iodophenyl)nortropane single-photon emission computerised tomography (123I-FP-CIT SPECT) in 144 patients with MCI. Images were rated as normal or abnormal by a panel of experts with access to striatal binding ratio results. Follow-up consensus diagnosis based on the presence of core features of Lewy body disease was used as the reference standard. RESULTS: At latest assessment (mean 2 years) 61 patients had probable MCI with Lewy bodies, 26 possible MCI with Lewy bodies and 57 MCI due to Alzheimer's disease. The sensitivity of baseline FP-CIT visual rating for probable MCI with Lewy bodies was 66% (95% CI 52-77%), specificity 88% (76-95%) and accuracy 76% (68-84%), with positive likelihood ratio 5.3. CONCLUSIONS: It is over five times as likely for an abnormal scan to be found in probable MCI with Lewy bodies than MCI due to Alzheimer's disease. Dopaminergic imaging appears to be useful at the MCI stage in cases where Lewy body disease is suspected clinically.

Cholinergic muscarinic M1/M4 receptor networks in dementia with Lewy bodies.

Cholinergic dysfunction is central in dementia with Lewy bodies, possibly contributing to the cognitive and psychiatric phenotypes of this condition. We investigated baseline muscarinic M1/M4 receptor spatial covariance patterns in dementia with Lewy bodies and their association with changes in cognition and neuropsychiatric symptoms after 12 weeks of treatment with the cholinesterase inhibitor donepezil. Thirty-eight participants (14 cholinesterase inhibitor naive patients, 24 healthy older individuals) underwent 123I-iodo-quinuclidinyl-benzilate (M1/M4 receptor assessment) and 99mTc-exametazime (perfusion) single-photon emission computed tomography scanning. We implemented voxel principal components analysis, producing a series of images representing patterns of inter-correlated voxels across individuals. Linear regression analyses derived specific M1/M4 and perfusion spatial covariance patterns associated with patients. A discreet M1/M4 pattern that distinguished patients from controls (W1,19.7 = 16.7, P = 0.001), showed relative decreased binding in right lateral temporal and insula, as well as relative preserved/increased binding in frontal, precuneus, lingual and cuneal regions, implicating nodes within attention and dorsal visual networks. We then derived from patients an M1/M4 pattern that correlated with a positive change in mini-mental state examination (r = 0.52, P = 0.05), showing relative preserved/increased uptake in prefrontal, temporal pole and anterior cingulate, elements of attention-related networks. We also generated from patients an M1/M4 pattern that correlated with a positive change in neuropsychiatric inventory score (r = 0.77, P = 0.002), revealing relative preserved/increased uptake within a bilateral temporal-precuneal-striatal system. Although in a small sample and therefore tentative, we posit that optimal response of donepezil on cognitive and neuropsychiatric signs in patients with dementia with Lewy bodies were associated with a maintenance of muscarinic M1/M4 receptor expression within attentional/executive and ventral visual network hubs, respectively.

Cortical thinning in dementia with Lewy bodies and Parkinson disease dementia.

BACKGROUND: We investigated the structural changes associated with Alzheimer's disease, dementia with Lewy bodies and Parkinson disease dementia by means of cortical thickness analysis. METHODS: Two hundred and forty-five participants: 76 Alzheimer's disease, 65 dementia with Lewy bodies, 29 Parkinson disease dementia and 76 cognitively normal controls underwent 3-T T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging and clinical and cognitive assessments. We implemented FreeSurfer to obtain cortical thickness estimates to contrast patterns of cortical thinning across groups and their clinical correlates. RESULTS: In Alzheimer's disease and dementia with Lewy bodies, a largely similar pattern of regional cortical thinning was observed relative to controls apart from a more severe loss within the entorhinal and parahippocampal structures in Alzheimer's disease. In Parkinson disease dementia, regional cortical thickness was indistinguishable from controls and dementia with Lewy bodies, suggesting an 'intermediate' pattern of regional cortical change. In terms of global cortical thickness, group profiles were controls > Parkinson disease dementia > dementia with Lewy bodies > Alzheimer's disease (F3, 241 ⩽ 123.2, p < 0.001), where percentage wise, the average difference compared to controls were -1.8%, -5.5% and -6.4%, respectively. In these samples, cortical thinning was also associated with cognitive decline in dementia with Lewy bodies but not in Parkinson disease dementia and Alzheimer's disease. CONCLUSION: In a large and well-characterised cohort of people with dementia, regional cortical thinning in dementia with Lewy bodies was broadly similar to Alzheimer's disease. There was preservation of the medial temporal lobe structures in dementia with Lewy bodies compared with Alzheimer's disease, supporting its inclusion as a supportive biomarker in the revised clinical criteria for dementia with Lewy bodies. However, there was less global cortical thinning in Parkinson disease dementia, with no significant regional difference between Parkinson disease dementia and controls. These findings highlight the overlap across the Alzheimer's disease/Parkinson disease dementia spectrum and the potential for differing mechanisms underlying neurodegeneration and cognition in dementia with Lewy bodies and Parkinson disease dementia.

Neuropathological Changes in Dementia With Lewy Bodies and the Cingulate Island Sign.

The cingulate island sign (CIS) refers to the relative sparing of metabolism in the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) and represents an important biomarker in distinguishing dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) from Alzheimer disease (AD). The underlying basis of the CIS is unknown; therefore, our aim was to investigate which neurodegenerative changes underpin the formation of CIS. Using quantitative neuropathology, α-synuclein, phosphorylated Tau, and amyloid-ß pathology was assessed in 12 DLB, 9 AD and 6 age-matched control patients in the anterior cingulate (ACC), midcingulate, PCC, precuneus/cuneus and parahippocampal gyrus. All participants had undergone 99mTc-hexamethylpropyleneamine oxime (HMPAO) single-photon emission computed tomography imaging during life to define the presence or absence of CIS. In the DLB group, no significant correlations were observed between CIS ratios and neurodegenerative pathology in PCC. In DLB, however, the ACC showed lower HMPAO uptake, as well as significantly higher α-synuclein and amyloid-ß burden compared with PCC, possibly underlying the relative preservation of perfusion in PCC when compared with ACC. Our findings suggest that neurodegenerative pathology does not directly correlate with the CIS in DLB, and other metabolic or pathological changes are therefore more likely to be relevant for the development of the CIS.

Consecutive sessions of transcranial direct current stimulation do not remediate visual hallucinations in Lewy body dementia: a randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Complex visual hallucinations are common in Lewy body dementia (LBD) and can cause significant patient and caregiver distress. Current treatments are primarily pharmacological in nature and have limited efficacy and associated side effects. The objective of this study was to assess the effects of consecutive sessions of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on visual hallucination frequency and severity in LBD, at short-term and long-term follow-up stages. METHODS: The study was a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial involving 40 participants with LBD (Mage = 75.52 years, SDage = 8.69 years) which was conducted at a single site between November 2013 and December 2017. Participants received two consecutive 20-min sessions of active (0.048 mA/cm2) or placebo tDCS, separated by a 30-min break, over 5 consecutive days. The anodal electrode was applied to the right parietal cortex (P4) and the cathodal electrode was applied to the occipital cortex (Oz). The primary outcome measure was the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) hallucinations subscale, as completed by a caregiver/informant at baseline and day 5 (short-term) follow-up, and month 1 and month 3 (long-term) follow-up. Secondary outcome measures included visual cortical excitability, as measured using transcranial magnetic stimulation, computerised attentional and visuoperceptual tasks, and measures of global cognition and cognitive fluctuations. RESULTS: Complete study data were obtained from 36 participants. There was an overall improvement in visual hallucinations (NPI) for both groups at day 5 relative to baseline, with a medium-to-large effect size; however, compared to placebo, active tDCS did not result in any improvements in visual hallucinations (NPI) at day 5 relative to baseline, or at month 1 or month 3 follow-up time points. Additionally, comparisons of secondary outcome measures showed that active tDCS did not result in any improvements on any measure (visual cortical excitability, attentional and visuoperceptual tasks or cognitive measures) at any time point. CONCLUSIONS: Repeated consecutive sessions of parietal anodal tDCS, and occipital cathodal tDCS, do not improve visual hallucinations or visuoperceptual function, or alter visual cortical excitability in LBD. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ISRCTN, ISRCTN40214749 . Registered on 25 October 2013.

Diagnostic accuracy of dopaminergic imaging in prodromal dementia with Lewy bodies.

BACKGROUND: Dopaminergic imaging has high diagnostic accuracy for dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) at the dementia stage. We report the first investigation of dopaminergic imaging at the prodromal stage. METHODS: We recruited 75 patients over 60 with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), 33 with probable MCI with Lewy body disease (MCI-LB), 15 with possible MCI-LB and 27 with MCI with Alzheimer's disease. All underwent detailed clinical, neurological and neuropsychological assessments and FP-CIT [123I-N-fluoropropyl-2ß-carbomethoxy-3ß-(4-iodophenyl)] dopaminergic imaging. FP-CIT scans were blindly rated by a consensus panel and classified as normal or abnormal. RESULTS: The sensitivity of visually rated FP-CIT imaging to detect combined possible or probable MCI-LB was 54.2% [95% confidence interval (CI) 39.2-68.6], with a specificity of 89.0% (95% CI 70.8-97.6) and a likelihood ratio for MCI-LB of 4.9, indicating that FP-CIT may be a clinically important test in MCI where any characteristic symptoms of Lewy body (LB) disease are present. The sensitivity in probable MCI-LB was 61.0% (95% CI 42.5-77.4) and in possible MCI-LB was 40.0% (95% CI 16.4-67.7). CONCLUSIONS: Dopaminergic imaging had high specificity at the pre-dementia stage and gave a clinically important increase in diagnostic confidence and so should be considered in all patients with MCI who have any of the diagnostic symptoms of DLB. As expected, the sensitivity was lower in MCI-LB than in established DLB, although over 50% still had an abnormal scan. Accurate diagnosis of LB disease is important to enable early optimal treatment for LB symptoms.

A new visual rating scale for Ioflupane imaging in Lewy body disease.

BACKGROUND: Dopaminergic loss on 123I-Ioflupane brain imaging is a recognised biomarker for dementia with Lewy bodies. It is usually assessed using a visual rating scale developed for Parkinson's disease, which may not be optimal for dementia with Lewy bodies, as patterns of dopaminergic loss can be different. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to develop a new visual rating scale for 123I-Ioflupane brain images in Lewy body disease that encompasses appearances seen in dementia with Lewy bodies, and validate this against autopsy diagnosis. METHODS: Four experienced observers developed and tested a new scale consisting of two metrics, reflecting overall loss and heterogeneity of loss. 66 subjects were used during development including clinical diagnoses of Alzheimer's disease (n = 14), Parkinson's disease (n = 9), Parkinson's disease dementia (n = 9), dementia with Lewy bodies (n = 15) and normal controls (n = 19). The scale was then tested on an independent group of 46 subjects with autopsy confirmed diagnosis: Alzheimer's disease (n = 11), Parkinson's disease (n = 3), Parkinson's disease dementia (n = 15), dementia with Lewy bodies (n = 12), normal controls (n = 4) and Frontotemporal dementia (n = 1). RESULTS: In the autopsy validation the sensitivity and specificity of the new scale for Lewy body disease was 97% and 100% respectively, compared with the standard scale which had the same sensitivity (97%), but lower specificity (80%). The new scale had excellent inter rater reliability (intra-class correlation coefficient 0.93). CONCLUSION: A new robust and reliable rating scale is described that straightforwardly captures the visual appearance of 123I-Ioflupane brain images. It demonstrated high accuracy in autopsy confirmed cases and offers advantages over the existing visual rating scale.

Neuropsychiatric symptoms and cognitive profile in mild cognitive impairment with Lewy bodies.

BACKGROUND: The accurate clinical characterisation of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is becoming increasingly important. The aim of this study was to compare the neuropsychiatric symptoms and cognitive profile of MCI with Lewy bodies (MCI-LB) with Alzheimer's disease MCI (MCI-AD). METHODS: Participants were ⩾60 years old with MCI. Each had a thorough clinical and neuropsychological assessment and 2ß-carbomethoxy-3ß-(4-iodophenyl)-N-(3-fluoropropyl)-nortropane single photon emission computed tomography FP-CIT SPECT). MCI-LB was diagnosed if two or more diagnostic features of dementia with Lewy bodies were present (visual hallucinations, cognitive fluctuations, motor parkinsonism, rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder or positive FP-CIT SPECT). A Lewy body Neuropsychiatric Supportive Symptom Count (LBNSSC) was calculated based on the presence or absence of the supportive neuropsychiatric symptoms defined by the 2017 DLB diagnostic criteria: non-visual hallucinations, delusions, anxiety, depression and apathy. RESULTS: MCI-LB (n = 41) had a higher LBNSSC than MCI-AD (n = 24; 1.8 ± 1.1 v. 0.7 ± 0.9, p = 0.001). 67% of MCI-LB had two or more of those symptoms, compared with 16% of MCI-AD (Likelihood ratio = 4.2, p < 0.001). MCI-LB subjects scored lower on tests of attention, visuospatial function and verbal fluency. However, cognitive test scores alone did not accurately differentiate MCI-LB from MCI-AD. CONCLUSIONS: MCI-LB is associated with neuropsychiatric symptoms and a cognitive profile similar to established DLB. This supports the concept of identifying MCI-LB based on the presence of core diagnostic features of DLB and abnormal FP-CIT SPECT imaging. The presence of supportive neuropsychiatric clinical features identified in the 2017 DLB diagnostic criteria was helpful in differentiating between MCI-LB and MCI-AD.

Does attentional dysfunction and thalamic atrophy predict decline in dementia with Lewy bodies?

INTRODUCTION: To evaluate the clinical characteristics of DLB subjects who died within 1 year of assessment compared to those who survived and investigate their patterns of in vivo regional thalamic atrophy using structural MRI. METHODS: Seventy subjects (35 DLB, 35 aged controls) underwent 3 T T1-weighted MR scanning as well as clinical and cognitive assessments, including a computerised assessment of attention. All subjects were contacted after 12 months for reassessment. For both hemispheres, using FSL FIRST, the thalamus was automatically segmented followed by inter-subject vertex-wise analyses involving group comparisons and behavioural correlates. RESULTS: There was significant bilateral atrophy in the ventral-dorsal and pulvinar regions in DLB relative to controls (pcorrected < 0.05). The DLB group was then re-categorised based on 12-month mortality data: DLB-a (n = 26) and DLB-d (n = 9) (a = alive, d = death within 12 months of study assessment). Compared to controls, significant attentional dysfunction and bilateral atrophy of the pulvinar, ventral and dorsal nuclei were observed in DLB-d (pcorrected < 0.05), whereas in DLB-a, atrophy was far less extensive. CONCLUSIONS: Distinct patterns of thalamic atrophy occur in DLB that may relate to the attentional dysfunction and cognitive fluctuations that characterise this disorder. Relative to controls, the extent of attentional impairment and pattern of thalamic degeneration differ in those patients who died within 12 months of assessment, despite having an otherwise similar level of dementia severity. These findings may provide insight into the neurobiological changes underpinning important clinical characteristics and disease heterogeneity.