Are there racial differences in Lewy bodies and related diseases?

Takeaway

  • No racial differences were found in Lewy body frequency, distribution, and association with dementia and parkinsonism between Black and white decedents.

Why this matters

  • Most existing research on the association of Lewy bodies with age-related conditions such as dementia, Parkinson’s, and olfactory dysfunction include mainly white participants.

  • There are racial differences in the prevalence if Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease between Black and white individuals, but the reasons behind this are largely unknown.