Dementia with Lewy bodies and AD are not associated with occipital lobe atrophy on MRI

Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) is associated with occipital changes in blo od flow and metabolism, but structural changes in this region have not prev iously been assessed. The authors performed volumetric MRI measurement of t he occipital lobe blind to the diagnosis in 23 subjects with DLB, 25 with A D, and 24 age-matched control subjects. There were no significant differenc es between groups in occipital lobe volume. The authors conclude gross stru ctural changes in the occipital lobe do not occur in patients with mild to moderate DLB or AD.