Funded Studies
Study Rationale: Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) is a common form of dementia that carries a more serious outlook than others, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). Similar to Parkinson's disease (PD), DLB falls into the category of synucleinopathies, disorders that involve abnormal buildup of alpha-synuclein protein. Our project aims to assess the applicability of "the neuronal synuclein disease (NSD) integrated staging system,” originally designed for PD, in people with clinically diagnosed DLB.
Hypothesis: Although most people with DLB fit into the proposed staging scheme, a substantial proportion of probable DLB cases will fall outside this framework. We hypothesize that the NSD staging will align particularly well with the more advanced stages of the disease.
Study Design: We will leverage the resources of the European-DLB (E-DLB) Consortium, a collaborative network of more than 30 specialized centers across Europe focused on clinical translational research on DLB. We will use the NSD staging system to categorize patients within the E-DLB that have received a diagnosis and have contributed both cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples and Dopamine Transporter (DaT) scans.
Impact on Diagnosis/Treatment of Parkinson’s disease: Application of the NSD staging system in DLB should reduce diagnostic variability and inaccuracy by introducing standardized biological markers. This enhanced reliability could lead to earlier and more accurate DLB diagnoses, thereby enabling timely intervention and improved outcomes.
Next Steps for Development: Validation of the NSD staging system for DLB could lead to extension of the methods used in this project to clinical practice, research and clinical trials. This shift is particularly relevant within the realm of clinical trials.