A recent paper by Kanishka Agarwal and colleagues aims to address and bridge the major gaps in Lewy Body Dementia (LBD) by mapping the current landscape based on expert interviews, literature and database analysis, and desk research. The main areas of focus were:
• advocacy and awareness
• funding
• research
• pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry activity
• patient impact.
The research team identified critical gaps across the board with particularly important gaps in LBD research. To close the gaps they suggest the development of standardised and validated assessment and diagnostic tools, and the introduction of consistent metrics and outcome measures to ensure accurate early diagnosis. Furthermore, the authors outline the importance of establishing reliable diagnoses for LBD, by understanding the disease progression and its patterns of co-morbidity with Alzheimer's dementia and Parkinson's disease, creating accessible biomarkers, and increasing longitudinal patient studies to transform the LBD therapeutic landscape and patient experience.
Increasing funding and public awareness campaigns to support advancements in LBD research is another factor that was highlighted in the viewpoint paper, that might enable innovation in the field. These recommendations for change could lead to enhanced clinical research, facilitate more effective therapeutic trials, likely accelerate the development of treatments, and ultimately lead to improved patient care, awareness, and advocacy. The study was published in the journal Alzheimer’s & Dementia. To learn more about the paper by Agarwal et al. follow the link:
https://alz-jour-nals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/alz.13674