Neural correlates of attention and visual perceptual function in DLB

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  Investigating the neural correlates of attentional, visual perceptual and executive dysfunction in dementia with Lewy bodies

• IRAS ID

  234378

• Contact name

  Claudia Metzler-Baddeley

• Contact email

  Metzler-BaddeleyC@cardiff.ac.uk

• Sponsor organisation

  Cardiff University

• Duration of Study in the UK

  2 years, 5 months, 1 days

• Research summary

  Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) is a common dementia disorder characterised by four clinical features; visual hallucinations, cognitive fluctuations, REM sleep disorder and parkinsonism. DLB is characterized by the accumulation of ‘Lewy body’ pathology in the brain, which is thought to result in a distinct profile of cognitive, attentional and visual perceptual impairments. This profile is present in very early stages of the disease and may aid in the differentiation of DLB from other disorders which share clinical presentation such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD).
  It has been theorized that some chemical systems which are responsible for the functioning of the brain structures involved in attention and visual perception may be damaged in DLB resulting in these impairments, and clinical symptoms. As such, observing chemical and structural damage within key structures involved in attention and perception may indicate a physiological basis for cognitive impairments in DLB.
  An opportunity sample of 45 subjects with diagnoses of early stage DLB, AD and PD will be recruited from patients referred to memory clinics at Cardiff and Vale University Health Board and North Bristol NHS Trust. A sample of 20 cognitively healthy aged matched controls will also be recruited as a comparative group from Cardiff University. The study will involve general cognitive testing, the Attentional Network task, tasks assessing visual perception and brain scans observing chemistry, structure, white matter and blood flow in networks responsible for attention and visual perception. Data collection will begin following a pilot study (n=10) to optimise brain scan measurements and cognitive assessment, and will be completed by August 2020.

• REC name

  Wales REC 1

• REC reference

  18/WA/0153

• Date of REC Opinion

  23 May 2018

• REC opinion

  Further Information Favourable Opinion