Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Increasing evidence indicates that α-synuclein (αSYN) oligomers are toxic. We sought to determine whether αSYN oligomers were associated with faster cognitive decline in prospectively-followed patients with dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB). METHODS: Eight autopsy-confirmed patients with DLB were selected based on rapid or slow cognitive decline determined by the rate of change of Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores. Quantitative neuropathologic analysis of αSYN oligomers, Lewy-related pathology, phosphorylated tau, and amyloid-β was conducted in hippocampal subfields (CA1-4 and subiculum) and the entorhinal cortex. RESULTS: DLB with rapid cognitive decline showed greater CA1 αSYN oligomer burden (p = 0.029) and tau burden (p = 0.029) than DLB with slow decline. The groups showed comparable burden of Lewy-related pathology and amyloid-β pathology in the hippocampal formation and entorhinal cortex. DISCUSSION: Hippocampal accumulation of αSYN oligomers and phosphorylated tau is associated with rapid cognitive decline in DLB. Therapeutic strategies targeting αSYN oligomers warrant further investigation. HIGHLIGHTS: Proximity ligation assay (PLA) and digital pathology for oligomer quantification. Abundant α-synuclein (αSYN) oligomers in CA1 of patients with dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) with rapid decline. First human brain study linking αSYN oligomers to cognitive trajectory. Potential therapeutic implications of targeting αSYN oligomers in DLB.