Plasma Neurofilament Light Chain Predicts Cognitive Progression in Prodromal and Clinical Dementia with Lewy Bodies

Andrea Pilotto; Alberto Imarisio; Claudia Carrarini; Mirella Russo; Stefano Masciocchi; Stefano Gipponi; Elisabetta Cottini; Dag Aarsland; Henrik Zetterberg; Nicholas J Ashton; Abdul Hye; Laura Bonanni; Alessandro Padovani

doi:10.3233/JAD-210342

Plasma Neurofilament Light Chain Predicts Cognitive Progression in Prodromal and Clinical Dementia with Lewy Bodies

J Alzheimers Dis. 2021;82(3):913-919. doi: 10.3233/JAD-210342.

Authors

Andrea Pilotto^{1

2}, Alberto Imarisio¹, Claudia Carrarini³, Mirella Russo³, Stefano Masciocchi¹, Stefano Gipponi¹, Elisabetta Cottini¹, Dag Aarsland^{4

5}, Henrik Zetterberg^{6

7

8

9}, Nicholas J Ashton^{6

10

5

11}, Abdul Hye^{5

11}, Laura Bonanni³, Alessandro Padovani¹

Affiliations

¹ Neurology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy.
² FERB Onlus, Ospedale S. Isidoro, Trescore Balneario, Bergamo, Italy.
³ Department of Neuroscience Imaging and Clinical Sciences, University G. d'Annunzio of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy.
⁴ Centre for Age-Related Medicine, Stavanger University Hospital, Stavanger, Norway.
⁵ Department of Old Age Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, King's College London, London, UK.
⁶ Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
⁷ Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal, Sweden.
⁸ Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Institute of Neurology, London, UK.
⁹ UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL, London, UK.
¹⁰ Wallenberg Centre for Molecular and Translational Medicine, Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden.
¹¹ NIHR Biomedical Research Centre for Mental Health & Biomedical Research Unit for Dementia at South London & Maudsley NHS Foundation, London, UK.

PMID: 34151807
DOI: 10.3233/JAD-210342

Abstract

Plasma neurofilament light chain (NfL) is a marker of neuronal damage in different neurological disorders and might predict disease progression in dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB). The study enrolled 45 controls and 44 DLB patients (including 17 prodromal cases) who underwent an extensive assessment at baseline and at 2 years follow-up. At baseline, plasma NfL levels were higher in both probable DLB and prodromal cases compared to controls. Plasma NfL emerged as the best predictor of cognitive decline compared to age, sex, and baseline severity variables. The study supports the role of plasma NfL as a useful prognostic biomarker from the early stages of DLB.

Keywords: Biomarkers; cognitive progression; dementia with Lewy bodies; neurofilament light chain.

Publication types

Letter
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Biomarkers / blood
Cognitive Dysfunction / blood*
Cognitive Dysfunction / diagnosis*
Disease Progression
Female
Follow-Up Studies
Humans
Lewy Body Disease / blood*
Lewy Body Disease / diagnosis*
Longitudinal Studies
Male
Neurofilament Proteins / blood*
Predictive Value of Tests
Prodromal Symptoms*

Substances

Biomarkers
Neurofilament Proteins
neurofilament protein L