Pathogenesis of Lewy Body Dementia

This chapter discusses the Pathogenesis of Lew Body Dementia. The Lewy body dementias (LBDs) are a spectrum of dementing neurodegenerative disorders underpinned by the pathological accumulation of α- synuclein protein in both intraneuronal inclusions, “Lewy bodies, ” and neuronal processes, “Lewy neurites”. The chapter concludes that, as with other forms of cognitive impairment in the aged, the pathophysiology of cognitive impairment in LBD is likely multifactorial. Although it appears that α- synuclein pathology, particularly in the limbic and neocortical regions are linked to cognitive changes, other pathologies such as AD likely also play a role. Emphasizing the complexity, a number of genetic factors have been implicated in the LBDs, some specifically with associations to the synucleinopathies and some with other pathophysiologic processes. This complexity will need to be considered as therapeutic interventions are evaluated for the LBD.