Members of the Ageing Research Interest Forum made an exciting journey to Amsterdam, the Netherlands, to take part in the eighth International Lewy Body Dementia Conference from 29-31 January 2025. This event gathers world-leaders in Lewy body dementia (LBD) research to explore the latest cutting-edge research in LBD.

Dr Joe Kane expertly chaired a session on outcome measures in LBD and delivered a compelling presentation on the latest progress in the Lewy Body Dementia Domain rating scale (LBD-DRS).

Currently, LBD trials rely on rating scales and measurements originally designed for other neurodegenerative disorders, such as Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease. The development of the LBD-DRS marks a significant advancement as it will offer a rating scale designed specifically for LBD.

 

PhD Candidate Sinead Donnelly also delivered an insightful oral presentation titled “What matters most? Exploring the treatment preferences of people with dementia with Lewy bodies and their care partners: a stated preference study.” This research uses a discrete choice experiment to elicit and quantify the treatment preferences of individuals with dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) and their care partners. By understanding what matters most to those directly affected, this study aims to inform outcome selection and prioritisation in future DLB clinical trials.