Extra-cranial cholinergic lesions in dementia with Lewy bodies.

This scientific commentary discusses a study on the autonomic involvement in dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB). The study used a PET radiotracer to visualize cholinergic deficiency in the brain and periphery of DLB patients. The authors found that DLB patients had decreased cholinergic activity in the pancreas and colon, suggesting lesions in the parasympathetic component of the autonomic nervous system. However, the study did not examine sympathetic noradrenergic function or assess other regions relevant to autonomic functions. Further research is needed to understand the relationship between cholinergic deficiency and other autonomic abnormalities in DLB. [Extracted from the article]