Debby Tsuang, MD, is site-PI of two recently funded consortium projects trying to identify biomarkers in Lewy Body Dementia (LBD). LBD is comprised of dementia with Lewy bodies and Parkinson’s disease dementia. The combination of cognitive and motor impairment makes these conditions difficult to treat. On neuropathological examination, LBD is associated with abnormal deposits of a protein called alpha-synuclein in the brain. These deposits, called Lewy bodies, affect chemicals in the brain leading to problems with thinking, movement, behavior, and mood.

These two studies aim to collect cerebrospinal fluid, DNA, RNA, and plasma biomarkers to help differentiate people with Lewy Body Dementias from other dementing disorders. The “Plasma biomarkers in Lewy body disease” collaborative project is funded by the National Alzheimer’s Coordinating Center (NACC), and the “Dementia with Lewy Bodies Consortium” is funded by the National Institutes of Health.