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Cholinergic degeneration and early cognitive signs in prodromal Lewy body dementia
Kyung Ah Woo, Heejung Kim, Ryul Kim, Bora Jin, Jung Hwan Shin, Seo-Yeon Kim, Yoon‐Keun Kim, Hyun Woo Nam et al.. Alzheimer s & Dementia, 2025-02-01
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
Plain-language summary
cBF volume declined at comparable rates in iRBD-to-PD and iRBD-to-DLB converters, but atrophy was more severe at DLB phenoconversion. cBF atrophy correlated with attention, executive, and memory deficits. In iRBD, baseline cBF z-score < -1.0 predicted dementia (hazard ratio = 9.57, p = .009). cBF degeneration evolves from the prodromal iRBD stage of LBDs and predicts dementia, highlighting a window for cholinergic-targeted intervention. HIGHLIGHTS: Basal forebrain links to attention, executive function, and memory in the RBD continuum. Basal forebrain atrophy progresses at similar rates in prodromal PD and prodromal DLB. At phenoconversion, basal forebrain atrophy is greater in DLB than in PD converters. Basal forebrain atrophy strongly predicts future dementia in iRBD. Executive dysfunction predicts faster basal forebrain degeneration in iRBD.
What this study adds
Evidence grade: Moderate
This is a cross-sectional study. Basal forebrain degeneration evolves from the prodromal stage of Lewy body diseases and predicts dementia, highlighting a window for cholinergic-targeted intervention. In iRBD, baseline cBF z-score below -1.0 predicted dementia with a hazard ratio of 9.57.
Taken from this record’s own fields, not from reading the paper. The grade is assigned from the abstract’s wording; what that means.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Woo, K. A., Kim, H., Kim, R., Jin, B., Shin, J. H., Kim, S.-Y., et al. (2025). Cholinergic degeneration and early cognitive signs in prodromal Lewy body dementia. Alzheimer s & Dementia. https://doi.org/10.1002/alz.14584
Vancouver
Woo KA, Kim H, Kim R, Jin B, Shin JH, Kim S.-Y, et al. Cholinergic degeneration and early cognitive signs in prodromal Lewy body dementia. Alzheimer s & Dementia. 2025. doi:10.1002/alz.14584. PMID: 39985502.
BibTeX
@article{woo2025-39985502,
author = {Woo, Kyung Ah and Kim, Heejung and Kim, Ryul and Jin, Bora and Shin, Jung Hwan and Kim, Seo-Yeon and Kim, Yoon‐Keun and Nam, Hyun Woo and others},
title = {{Cholinergic degeneration and early cognitive signs in prodromal Lewy body dementia}},
journal = {Alzheimer s \& Dementia},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.1002/alz.14584},
pmid = {39985502},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1002/alz.14584}
}
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record's author list ends in “et al.”, so not every author is named. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
Key findings
- cBF volume declined at comparable rates in iRBD-to-PD and iRBD-to-DLB converters, but atrophy was more severe at DLB phenoconversion. cBF atrophy correlated with attention, executive, and memory deficits.
- In iRBD, baseline cBF z-score < -1.0 predicted dementia (hazard ratio = 9.57, p = .009). cBF degeneration evolves from the prodromal iRBD stage of LBDs and predicts dementia, highlighting a window for cholinergic-targeted intervention.
- HIGHLIGHTS: Basal forebrain links to attention, executive function, and memory in the RBD continuum.
- Basal forebrain atrophy progresses at similar rates in prodromal PD and prodromal DLB.
- At phenoconversion, basal forebrain atrophy is greater in DLB than in PD converters.
Why it matters
Basal forebrain degeneration evolves from the prodromal stage of Lewy body diseases and predicts dementia, highlighting a window for cholinergic-targeted intervention. In iRBD, baseline cBF z-score below -1.0 predicted dementia with a hazard ratio of 9.57.
Study details
- Study designcross-sectional
- Evidence strengthModerate
How this study scored 48/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a snapshot of people at one point in time. Scored zero for sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomized / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Alzheimer s & Dementia) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | Alzheimer s & Dementia: journal h-index 228 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 4 / 12 | A snapshot of people at one point in time |
| Strength of evidence | 3 / 5 | Rated “moderate” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 4 / 5 | 2025 — within 3 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomized / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomization or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 2 / 7 | Cited 13 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 2 / 5 | 4.3 citations a year over 3 year(s) since 2025 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 7.3× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 1 / 6 | Cited by 2 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 1 / 4 | Cited 13 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Jee‐Young Lee: h-index 43 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | Seoul National University: institution h-index 1,053 (OpenAlex) |
| Multicenter collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 4 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 39985502) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 48 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
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