Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42270085›Full record

ArticleNeuropathology and applied neurobiology2026

Lewy Bodies Are Not Associated With Neuronal or Synaptic Loss in Dementia With Lewy Bodies.

Jade I Hawksworth, Eddie Kirkby-Geddes, Searlait Thom, Joe O'Neill, Amelia Ikwue, Lucy Wood, Tiago F Outeiro, Daniel Erskine

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Neuropathology and applied neurobiology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

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1citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Jade I HawksworthTranslational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University, Campus for Ageing and Vitality, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK.
Eddie Kirkby-GeddesTranslational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University, Campus for Ageing and Vitality, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK.
Searlait ThomTranslational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University, Campus for Ageing and Vitality, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK.
Joe O'NeillTranslational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University, Campus for Ageing and Vitality, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK.
Amelia IkwueTranslational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University, Campus for Ageing and Vitality, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK.
Lucy WoodTranslational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University, Campus for Ageing and Vitality, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK.
Tiago F OuteiroTranslational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University, Campus for Ageing and Vitality, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK.
Daniel ErskineTranslational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University, Campus for Ageing and Vitality, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK.ORCID 0000-0002-1752-5343

Funding

Alzheimer's Research UK ARUK-SRF2022A-006Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft SFB1286B8NIHR Newcastle Biomedical Research Centre
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

aimsThe misfolding and accumulation of the protein α-synuclein (αSyn) into cytoplasmic inclusions termed Lewy bodies (LBs) and Lewy neurites is the defining neuropathological feature of LB diseases, such as Parkinson's disease (PD) and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB). The loss of neurons and/or synapses has been postulated to underlie the clinical syndrome of DLB. The present study sought to elucidate the relationship between LB burden and neuronal and synaptic loss in DLB.

methodsPost-mortem brain tissue from the cingulate gyrus and inferior temporal gyrus, two regions vulnerable to LB pathology, was obtained from DLB (N = 20) and control cases (N = 20). Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue was stained to quantify LB, Alzheimer-type pathology and a neuronal marker. Frozen tissue from the contralateral hemisphere was processed for immunoblotting to compare the abundance of synaptic markers across cases.

resultsAcross both regions, no evidence of reduced total neuronal density was observed, but a modest reduction in parvalbumin interneurons was observed in the cingulate gyrus, and there were only modest reductions in some synaptic markers in DLB. LB burden was markedly variable across DLB cases but was not associated with any synaptic marker abundance or neuronal density.

conclusionsTaken together, these findings do not support an association between LB density and neuronal or synaptic loss in DLB, even in regions with particularly high burdens of LBs, such as the cingulate gyrus. These findings suggest that the link between αSyn proteinopathy and disease requires further investigation.

Indexed as

Gyrus CinguliLewy BodiesLewy Body DiseaseNeuronsSynapsesAgedAged, 80 and overalpha-SynucleinFemaleHumansMaleTemporal Lobealpha-Synucleinalpha‐synucleindementia with Lewy bodieshistopathologyneuronal densitysynaptic proteins

Identifiers

PMID42270085
PMCPMC13253057

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