Lewy Body Dementia (DLB) is the second most common type of neurodegenerative dementia and characterized by loss of cholinergic neurons in the cerebrum and possibly also internal organs. A novel tracer, 18F-fluoroethoxybenzovesamicol (18F-FEOBV), binds to the cholinergic vesicle transporter, a protein expressed uniquely in the vesicles of cholinergic pre-synapses. Our aim is to investigate the cholinergic denervation in patients with DLB using 18F-FEOBV. The investigators plan to recruit 30 patients with DLB and 20 healthy controls to extensive cognitive assessment, computed and positron emission topography, magnetic resonance imaging, and samples of blood. The investigators hypothesize that patients with DLB, compared to controls, have decreased cholinergic innervation in cortical and subcortical areas of the brain, intestines and heart, and that the denervation corresponds to symptoms of autonomic and cognitive dysfunction.
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Cerebral density of vesicular acetylcholine transporter in patients compared to controls
Timeframe: Day 1
Organ density of vesicular acetylcholine transporter in patients compared to controls
Timeframe: Day 1
Density of vesicular acetylcholine transporter compared to cognitive profile and autonomic symptoms.
Timeframe: Day 2