Mild cognitive impairment with Lewy bodies: neuropsychiatric supportive symptoms and cognitive profile

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Cambridge University Press via the DOI in this recordBackground Recently published diagnostic criteria for mild cognitive impairment with Lewy bodies (MCI-LB) include five neuropsychiatric supportive features (non-visual hallucinations, systematised delusions, apathy, anxiety and depression). We have previously demonstrated that the presence of two or more of these symptoms differentiates MCI-LB from MCI due to Alzheimer’s disease (MCI-AD) with a likelihood ratio >4. The aim of this study was to replicate the findings in an independent cohort. Methods Participants ≥60 years old with MCI were recruited. Each participant had a detailed clinical, cognitive and imaging assessment including FP-CIT SPECT and cardiac MIBG. The presence of neuropsychiatric supportive symptoms was determined using the neuropsychiatric inventory (NPI). Participants were classified as MCI-AD, possible MCI-LB and probable MCI-LB based on current diagnostic criteria. Participants with possible MCI-LB were excluded from further analysis. Results Probable MCI-LB (n=28) had higher NPI total and distress scores than MCI-AD (n=30). 59% of MCI-LB had two or more neuropsychiatric supportive symptoms compared with 9% of MCI-AD (likelihood ratio 6.5, p