Dementia with Lewy bodies has a unique genetic profile, distinct from those of Alzheimer’s disease or Parkinson’s disease, according to the first large-scale genetic study of this common type of dementia.
The genome-wide association study, conducted by a UCL-led collaboration of 65 academics in 11 countries and funded by Alzheimer’s Society and the Lewy Body Society, is published in The Lancet Neurology.
“Dementia with Lewy bodies accounts for 10-15% of dementia cases,* yet our understanding of it lags beyond the more well-known Alzheimer’s disease, partly because it’s commonly misdiagnosed. Our findings clarify the disease’s distinctive genetic signature, which should, in the future, help improve clinical trials, and lead to more targeted treatments,” said the study’s lead author, Dr Jose Bras who is a member of the Lewy Body Society’s SAC (Specialist Advisory Committee).
The paper can be accessed via this link:
http://www.thelancet.com/journals/laneur/article/PIIS1474-4422(17)30400-3/abstract