The role of neuroimaging in identifying prodromal Dementia with Lewy bodies: insights on anatomo‐functional brain changes and clinical implications

Structural and functional damage was already present in the prodromal stage of DLB and was coherent with the possible clinical onset. Frontal and parieto-occipital alterations may be associated with deficits in attention and executive functions and in visuo-perceptual/visuo-spatial abilities, respectively. Degeneration of cholinergic and dopaminergic transmission appeared substantial at this disease stage. The review highlighted the clinical usefulness of the neuroimaging biomarkers proposed for this population of patients. Thus, the review provided an updated and more precise depiction of the brain alterations that are specific to pro-DLB and valuable to its differentiation from physiological aging and the predementia stage of other diseases, especially MCI due to AD.