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Resting bold fMRI differentiates dementia with Lewy bodies vs Alzheimer disease
Galvin JE, Price JL, Yan Z, Morris JC, Sheline YI.. Neurology, 2011-04-27
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
Objective Clinicopathologic phenotypes of dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) and Alzheimer disease (AD) often overlap, making discrimination difficult. We performed resting state blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) functional connectivity MRI (fcMRI) to determine whether there were differences between AD and DLB. Methods Participants (n = 88) enrolled in a longitudinal study of memory and aging underwent 3-T fcMRI. Clinical diagnoses of probable DLB (n = 15) were made according to published criteria. Cognitively normal control participants (n = 38) were selected for the absence of cerebral amyloid burden as imaged with Pittsburgh compound B (PiB). Probable AD cases (n = 35) met published criteria and had appreciable amyloid deposits with PiB imaging. Functional images were collected using a gradient spin-echo sequence sensitive to BOLD contrast (T2* weighting). Correlation maps selected a seed region in the combined bilateral precuneus. Results Participants with DLB had a functional connectivity pattern for the precuneus seed region that was distinct from AD; both the DLB and AD groups had functional connectivity patterns that differed from the cognitively normal group. In the DLB group, we found increased connectivity between the precuneus and regions in the dorsal attention network and the putamen. In contrast, we found decreased connectivity between the precuneus and other task-negative default regions and visual cortices. There was also a reversal of connectivity in the right hippocampus. Conclusions Changes in functional connectivity in DLB indicate patterns of activation that are distinct from those seen in AD and may improve discrimination of DLB from AD and cognitively normal individuals. Since patterns of connectivity differ between AD and DLB groups, measurements of BOLD functional connectivity can shed further light on neuroanatomic connections that distinguish DLB from AD.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Galvin, J. E., Price, J. L., Yan, Z., Morris, J. C., & Sheline, Y. I. (2011). Resting bold fMRI differentiates dementia with Lewy bodies vs Alzheimer disease. Neurology. https://doi.org/10.1212/wnl.0b013e31821ccc83
Vancouver
Galvin JE, Price JL, Yan Z, Morris JC, Sheline YI. Resting bold fMRI differentiates dementia with Lewy bodies vs Alzheimer disease. Neurology. 2011. doi:10.1212/wnl.0b013e31821ccc83. PMID: 21525427.
BibTeX
@article{galvin2011-21525427,
author = {Galvin, J. E. and Price, J. L. and Yan, Z. and Morris, J. C. and Sheline, Y. I.},
title = {{Resting bold fMRI differentiates dementia with Lewy bodies vs Alzheimer disease}},
journal = {Neurology},
year = {2011},
doi = {10.1212/wnl.0b013e31821ccc83},
pmid = {21525427},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1212/wnl.0b013e31821ccc83}
}
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Key findings
- Results Participants with DLB had a functional connectivity pattern for the precuneus seed region that was distinct from AD; both the DLB and AD groups had functional connectivity patterns that differed from the cognitively normal group.
- In the DLB group, we found increased connectivity between the precuneus and regions in the dorsal attention network and the putamen.
- In contrast, we found decreased connectivity between the precuneus and other task-negative default regions and visual cortices.
Why it matters
People with dementia with Lewy bodies had a functional connectivity pattern in the precuneus that was distinct from Alzheimer's disease, and both groups differed from cognitively normal participants. This suggests a brain imaging measure might help tell these two dementias apart, which matters for accurate diagnosis, though it does not address treatment or cure.
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Study details
- Study designlongitudinal study
- Participants88
- Evidence strengthModerate
How this study scored 62/100
Published in a leading specialty journal, and it is a longitudinal study following the same people over time. Scored zero for effect reported and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 9 / 10 | Tier 2 — leading specialty journal (Neurology) |
| Journal's citation record | 4 / 4 | Neurology: journal h-index 525 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 7 / 12 | A longitudinal study following the same people over 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 | 1 / 5 | 2011 — within 20 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 1 / 4 | 88 participants |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 5 / 7 | Cited 138 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 8.1 citations a year over 17 year(s) since 2011 |
| 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 | 2 / 6 | Cited by 7 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 15 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Yvette I. Sheline: h-index 72 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | Washington University in St. Louis: institution h-index 1,962 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 4 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 21525427) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 62 / 100 | — |
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