Blood Test May Help Detect Dementia With Lewy Bodies Early
Study reveals lower α-synuclein levels in blood may aid early diagnosis of Dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB).
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Summary
A team from Toho University discovered that patients with Dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB) have significantly lower levels of α-synuclein in their blood compared to healthy individuals. This finding could lead to a blood-based biomarker for early diagnosis, offering potential benefits for timely detection and treatment.
Key Takeaways
- DLB patients have lower α-synuclein levels in their blood compared to healthy individuals.
- This discovery may help improve early detection of DLB, a challenging disease to diagnose.
- The potential development of a blood-based biomarker could offer benefits for patients and families.
A research team led by Associate Professor Ayako Okado-Matsumoto from the Department of Biology at Toho University has made a significant finding that sheds new light on Dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB). This study was conducted in collaboration with Professor Ryuji Sakakibara from the Department of Neurology at Sakura Medical Center, and Professors Hitoshi Nukada and Soroku Yagihashi from the Department of Exploratory Medicine on Nature, Life and Man at Toho University.
The team discovered a notable change in a specific protein found in the blood of patients with DLB. Their research revealed that individuals with DLB have significantly lower levels of α-synuclein in their red blood cells, compared to healthy individuals and patients with other neurological conditions such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. α-synuclein is a protein known to play a role in the development of several neurodegenerative disorders when it accumulates abnormally in brain cells.
This finding may contribute to improving the diagnosis of DLB, which is often difficult to detect at an early stage. The possibility of developing a simple blood-based biomarker for early detection could offer meaningful benefits for both patients and their families.
Reference: Amagai R, Hosoi R, Yoshioka S, et al. The potential of erythrocyte α-synuclein to differentiate dementia with Lewy bodies from Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases. J Biochemistry. 2025;177(6):415-424. doi: 10.1093/jb/mvaf017
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