Neural basis of writing in prodromal to mild dementia with lewy bodies

Objectives

We have previously demonstrated difficulties in written production in dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) patients. We now aim to determine the neural correlates of writing production in DLB, combining clinical data and structural MRI measures.

Method

Sixteen prodromal to mild DLB patients were selected to participate in the study. The GREMOTS test was used to assess writing production. Using three-dimensional T1 brain MRI images, correlations between the GREMOTS test and grey matter (GM) volume were performed using voxel-based morphometry (VBM; SPM12, XjView and Matlab R2021b softwares).

Results

VBM analysis (p < 0.001, uncorrected) revealed a positive and significant correlation between both left anterior insula and left supramarginal gyrus GM volumes and DLB patients' ability to write logatoms using the phonological route. The handwriting deficit was negatively and significantly correlated to the supplementary motor area. The parkinsonism-like characteristics of agraphia were negatively and significantly correlated with both right anterior and right posterior cerebellum GM volumes. Our study also revealed a negative and significant correlation between grammatical spelling impairments and an area of the orbitofrontal gyrus, and a negative and significant correlation between supramarginal gyrus and general slowness in dictation tasks.

Conclusion

Writing disorders in early DLB patients appears to be GM decreases in several brain regions, such as the left anterior insula, the left supramaginal gyrus, as well as two areas of the right cerebellum.