Article Document Academic Article Information Content Entity Continuant Continuant Journal Article Entity Entity Generically Dependent Continuant 2025-05-11T17:26:15 RDF description of Neuropsychological and clinical indicators of Lewy body and Alzheimer's pathology - http://repository.healthpartners.com/individual/document-rn45993 23922 Comorbidity public Alzheimer's Disease Sleep Neuropsychological and clinical indicators of Lewy body and Alzheimer's pathology 10.1177/25424823241304386 Dementia 41444 document-rn45993 2025-03-14T19:18:58.516-05:00 Journal of Alzheimer's disease reports 9 Measurement <p>BACKGROUND: Clinical distinction between Alzheimer's disease (AD) and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) poses significant challenges due to pathological comorbidity. Similar ages of onset and overlapping cognitive and psychiatric symptoms can lead to diagnostic inaccuracy and inappropriate treatment recommendations. <br>OBJECTIVE: Identify the best combination of clinical and neuropsychological predictors of AD, DLB, and mixed DLB/AD neuropathology in dementia patients. METHODS: Using the National Alzheimer's Coordinating Center dataset, we selected either pure AD (n�=�189), DLB (n�=�21), or mixed DLB/AD (n�=�42) patients on autopsy. Neuropsychological and clinical predictors, including core clinical features of DLB, were entered into multivariable logistic regressions. <br>RESULTS: Gait disturbances (odds ratio (OR)�=�19.32; p�=�0.01), visual-spatial complaints (OR = 6.06; p�=�0.03), and visual hallucinations (OR = 31.06; p�=�0.002) predicted DLB compared to AD, along with better memory (OR = 3.42; p�=�0.003), naming (OR = 3.35; p�=�0.002), and worse processing speed (OR = 0.51; p�=�0.01). When comparing DLB to DLB/AD, gait disturbances (OR = 6.33; p�=�0.01), increased depressive symptoms (OR = 1.44; p�=�0.03), and better memory (OR = 3.01; p�=�0.004) predicted DLB. Finally, rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder (RBD) (OR = 6.44; p�=�0.004), parkinsonism severity (OR = 1.07; p�=�0.02), and lower depressive symptoms (OR = 0.70; p�=�0.006) and memory impairment (OR = 0.57; p�=�0.02) distinguished DLB/AD from AD. <br>CONCLUSIONS: Our study converges with prior research suggesting specific neuropsychological and clinical features can help distinguish DLB from AD. Neuropsychological differentiation becomes more challenging among mixed pathologies and in advanced cognitive impairment, although the presence of RBD and parkinsonism distinguished DLB. Earlier clinical assessment and incorporation of in vivo and postmortem biomarkers should enhance diagnostic accuracy and understanding of disease characteristics, offering significant relevance for disease-modifying treatments.<p>