Lewy body dementia

Lewy body dementia (LBD) is a term used to encompass both Parkinson’s disease dementia and dementia with Lewy body disorders. They are the second most common type of dementia after Alzheimer’s disease but are yet often misdiagnosed. Indeed, LBD appears to fall somewhere in the middle of a disease spectrum ranging from Alzheimer’s to Parkinson’s disease. LBD is characterized by manifestations of neuropsychiatric symptoms with motor impairment, and both disorders can be distinguished by the temporal manifestations of motor symptoms. The pathological hallmark of LBD is the presence of Lewy bodies with aggregated alpha-synuclein being a main component. To date, no cures are available for LBD. Consequently identifying and dissecting disease-modifying pathway for LBD is a priority for the discovery of neuroprotective therapeutics. Herein, we review promising targets and new innovative approaches. In this regard, strategies targeting the clearance of alpha-synuclein and prevention of its propagation will be discussed.