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

Article type: Short Communication

Authors: Pilotto, Andrea^{a; b; 1; *} | Imarisio, Alberto^{a; 1} | Carrarini, Claudia^c | Russo, Mirella^c | Masciocchi, Stefano^a | Gipponi, Stefano^a | Cottini, Elisabetta^a | Aarsland, Dag^{d; j} | Zetterberg, Henrik^{e; f; g; h} | Ashton, Nicholas J.^{e; i; j; k} | Hye, Abdul^{j; k} | Bonanni, Laura^c | Padovani, Alessandro^a

Affiliations: [a] Neurology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy | [b] FERB Onlus, Ospedale S. Isidoro, Trescore Balneario, Bergamo, Italy | [c] Department of Neuroscience Imaging and Clinical Sciences, University G. d’Annunzio of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy | [d] Centre for Age-Related Medicine, Stavanger University Hospital, Stavanger, Norway | [e] Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden | [f] Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal, Sweden | [g] Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Institute of Neurology, London, UK | [h] UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL, London, UK | [i] 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 | [j] Department of Old Age Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, King’s College London, London, UK | [k] NIHR Biomedical Research Centre for Mental Health & Biomedical Research Unit for Dementia at South London & Maudsley NHS Foundation, London, UK

Correspondence: [*] Correspondence to: Andrea Pilotto, MD, Neurology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, P.zale Spedali Civili, 1 - 25123 Brescia, Italy. Tel.: +39 030 3995632; Fax: +39 030 3995027; E-mail: pilottoandreae@gmail.com.

Note: [1] These authors contributed equally to this work.

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

DOI: 10.3233/JAD-210342

Journal: Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, vol. 82, no. 3, pp. 913-919, 2021