Association between amyloid-beta deposition and cortical thickness in dementia with Lewy bodies.

OBJECTIVE

Amyloid-beta often co-exists in dementia with Lewy bodies, but its clinical relevance in dementia with Lewy bodies remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the clinical and imaging correlates of amyloid-beta deposition in dementia with Lewy bodies, particularly its relationship with cortical thickness in Alzheimer's disease-prone regions and hippocampal volume.

METHODS

Twenty-four participants with probable dementia with Lewy bodies underwent high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging and amyloid-beta positron emission tomography imaging using the radiotracer 18F-NAV4694. Amyloid-beta deposition was quantified and reported using the Centiloid method.

RESULTS

Amyloid-beta positivity, defined as Centiloid > 50, was present in 45.8% of dementia with Lewy bodies participants. There were no statistically significant differences in clinical characteristics between Aβ+ and Aβ- dementia with Lewy bodies. Compared with the Aβ- group, Aβ+ dementia with Lewy bodies exhibited greater global cortical thinning as well as in the Alzheimer's disease-prone region of interest, adjusted for age, sex and years of education. A mean cortical thickness of 5.12 mm across a combined meta-region of interest has a sensitivity of 88.9% and specificity of 90.0% in discriminating Aβ+ from Aβ- dementia with Lewy bodies. Hippocampal volume was not different between groups.

CONCLUSION

Early structural changes in cortical thickness, but not hippocampal volume, were observed in dementia with Lewy bodies with significant amyloid-beta burden. This may represent an early Alzheimer's disease-related neurodegenerative process.