/p>The dementia with Lewy bodies have a unique genetic profile, distinct from Alzheimer’s disease or Parkinson’s diseaseas revealed by the first large-scale genetic study of this common type of dementia led by the Institute of Neurology of University College London in which they participate of 65 academics in 11 countries.
The Lewy body dementia is the second most common form of dementia in older people, despite which it has been eclipsed in the field of research, partly due to similarities between Lewy body dementia, Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease. And until now, no genetic study scale of Lewy body dementia.
As stated he Dr Jose Bras, lead author of the study,“the dementia with Lewy bodies accounts for 10-15% of dementia casesand yet it remains largely unknown, partly because commonly misdiagnosed. Our findings clarify the genetic hallmark of this disease, which in the future should help to improve clinical trials and lead to more specific treatments«.
Among other findings, the researchers were able to identify an estimate of heritability of dementia with Lewy bodies for the first time, in 36%, which is similar to Parkinson’s. Heritability was particularly high for four specific chromosomes, suggesting that further research could focus on chromosomes to identify new loci.
“As genetic markers that have previously been associated with dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) were also implicated in Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, it was not clear if the genetic roots of DLB were simply a combination of the other two diseases. We have confirmed that, instead, has its own unique genetic profile. Selection of study participants has been a major challenge in dementia trials. Our findings can be used to identify more clearly what type of dementia each person hasso you can participate in the right clinical trial, which could lead to better treatments and diagnostic tools.”comments the first author of the study, the Dr. Rita Guerreiroof Institute of Neurology.
The researchers also hope that by advancing the understanding of which genes play a role in DLB their results will help in the development of targeted therapies. “D”ememia with Lewy bodies and Parkinson’s have many similarities, as people with DLB often develop Parkinson’s symptoms, and Parkinson’s often leads to dementia. By understanding the genetic bases, we can target treatments to different groups more effectively.”says Dr. Bras.
Another expert, the Dr Doug BrownResearch Director at the Alzheimer’s Society, notes that “Lewy body dementia is often misinterpreted as a mix of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, but this confirms that it is actually a single condition. Despite DLB being one of the most common forms of dementia in older people, until now there simply wasn’t enough information about its causes, so the discovery that up to 36% of cases could be genetically inherited is a real shock. revelation”.
Funded by the and the , this study has been published in the journal and the participants 1,743 patients with Lewy body dementia (including clinical samples and 1,324 pathological samples evaluated postmortem), with 4,454 controls.