Retinal involvement in dementia with Lewy bodies: a clue to hallucinations?
Visual hallucinations are a core feature of dementia with Lewy bodies. Their pathophysiology is not well understood, because neither clinical nor histological data have shown their basic mechanisms. Here, we report the presence of pale inclusions in the outer plexiform layer of the retina in a patient with dementia with Lewy bodies. These inclusions are related to cytoskeletal disorganization of the cones at ultrastructural level and modifications of the immunohistochemical pattern of distribution of synucleins in the retina. These modifications may participate in the visual impairment in dementia with Lewy bodies.
Maurage
Claude-Alain
CA
Department of Neuropathology, R. Salengro Hospital, CHRU, Lille Cedex, France. ca-maurage@chru-lille.fr
Ruchoux
Marie-Magdeleine
MM
de Vos
Rob
R
Surguchov
Andrei
A
Destee
Alain
A
D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006212:Hallucinations / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D020961:Lewy Body Disease / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D008854:Microscopy, Electron / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D016874:Neurofibrillary Tangles; D019600:Neuropil Threads; D012160:Retina / Q000473:pathology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D051843:Synucleins; D014795:Visual Pathways / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology
D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D051843:Synucleins