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Lewy body dementias
Walker Z, Possin KL, Boeve BF, Aarsland D.. Lancet (London, England), 2015-10-01
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
The broad importance of dementia is undisputed, with Alzheimer's disease justifiably getting the most attention. However, dementia with Lewy bodies and Parkinson's disease dementia, now called Lewy body dementias, are the second most common type of degenerative dementia in patients older than 65 years. Despite this, Lewy body dementias receive little attention and patients are often misdiagnosed, leading to less than ideal management. Over the past 10 years, considerable effort has gone into improving diagnostic accuracy by refining diagnostic criteria and using imaging and other biomarkers. Dementia with Lewy bodies and Parkinson's disease dementia share the same pathophysiology, and effective treatments will depend not only on successful treatment of symptoms but also on targeting the pathological mechanisms of disease, ideally before symptoms and clinical signs develop. We summarise the most pertinent progress from the past 10 years, outlining some of the challenges for the future, which will require refinement of diagnosis and clarification of the pathogenesis, leading to disease-modifying treatments.
Key findings
- However, dementia with Lewy bodies and Parkinson's disease dementia, now called Lewy body dementias, are the second most common type of degenerative dementia in patients older than 65 years.
- Despite this, Lewy body dementias receive little attention and patients are often misdiagnosed, leading to less than ideal management.
- Over the past 10 years, considerable effort has gone into improving diagnostic accuracy by refining diagnostic criteria and using imaging and other biomarkers.
- Dementia with Lewy bodies and Parkinson's disease dementia share the same pathophysiology, and effective treatments will depend not only on successful treatment of symptoms but also on targeting the pathological mechanisms of disease, ideally before symptoms and clinical signs develop.
- We summarise the most pertinent progress from the past 10 years, outlining some of the challenges for the future, which will require refinement of diagnosis and clarification of the pathogenesis, leading to disease-modifying treatments.
Why it matters
This review states that dementia with Lewy bodies and Parkinson's disease dementia, together called Lewy body dementias, are the second most common type of degenerative dementia in patients older than 65 years, yet receive little attention and patients are often misdiagnosed. It says effective treatments will depend on treating symptoms and targeting the pathological mechanisms of disease, ideally before symptoms and clinical signs develop, and that this will require refined diagnosis and clarified pathogenesis.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 58/100
Published in a top-tier journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 10 / 10 | Tier 1 — top-tier general journal (Lancet (London, England)) |
| Journal's citation record | 4 / 4 | The Lancet: journal h-index 1,205 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 2015 — within 20 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) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 6 / 7 | Cited 593 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 4 / 5 | 45.6 citations a year over 13 year(s) since 2015 |
| Impact for its field and year | 5 / 6 | Cited 28.0× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 4 / 6 | Cited by 35 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 3 / 4 | Cited 165 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 4 / 4 | Last-listed author Dag Aarsland: h-index 141 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | University College London: institution h-index 2,029 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 6 institution(s) in 4 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 26595642) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 58 / 100 | — |
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Read the original
- DOI: 10.1016/s0140-6736(15)00462-6
- PubMed: 26595642
- Original source →
- Free full text: PubMed Central →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Walker, Z., Possin, K. L., Boeve, B. F., & Aarsland, D. (2015). Lewy body dementias. Lancet (London, England). https://doi.org/10.1016/s0140-6736(15)00462-6
Vancouver
Walker Z, Possin KL, Boeve BF, Aarsland D. Lewy body dementias. Lancet (London, England). 2015. doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(15)00462-6. PMID: 26595642.
BibTeX
@article{walker2015-26595642,
author = {Walker, Z. and Possin, K. L. and Boeve, B. F. and Aarsland, D.},
title = {{Lewy body dementias}},
journal = {Lancet (London, England)},
year = {2015},
doi = {10.1016/s0140-6736(15)00462-6},
pmid = {26595642},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/s0140-6736(15)00462-6}
}
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