Lewy Body Disease May Be More Common than Thought
Access to human brain tissue for medical research is limited, hindering research on neurodegenerative conditions. Researchers have found that Lewy body disease may be more prevalent than previously believed, with pathology starting in middle age, even before symptoms appear.
Lewy body disease is the second most common brain degenerative disease after Alzheimer’s. It is characterized by the presence of alpha-synuclein protein deposits, similar to Parkinson’s disease. Symptoms include movement issues, memory problems, and psychiatric symptoms.
A recent study investigated the occurrence of Lewy body disease markers in young and middle-aged individuals without known conditions. Using Finnish forensic autopsy data, the researchers found that disease changes can begin in middle age, even before symptoms manifest.
