Korean J Biol Psychiatry.  2016 May;23(2):41-47. 10.0000/kjbp.2016.23.2.41.

Clinical Features and Pharmacological Treatment of Dementia with Lewy Bodies

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Psychiatry, Yonsei University Wonju Severance Christian Hospital, Wonju, Korea. gooddr@yonsei.ac.kr

Abstract

Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) is the second most common causes of dementia. It can exhibit a variety of clinical symptoms including cognitive decline, cognitive fluctuation, visual hallucinations, parkinsonism, REM sleep behavior disorder, hypersensitivity to neuroleptics and autonomic dysfunctions. Despite more well-known criteria for DLB, there are often misdiagnosis and inappropriate treatment. It gives a lot of clinical burden to the clinician as well as to patients and families. When reducing the misdiagnosis, the burden of all will be reduced. The special concern and solicitation are needed in order not to miss the diagnosis when the cardinal features of DLB may not be volunteered by patients and the caregivers. To control the symptoms, clinicians must find and reduce drugs that can have the negative effects on DLB symptoms. There is limited evidence about specific interventions but available data suggest cholinesterase inhibitors improve the cognitive and behavioral symptoms and menmantine slightly improves the global impression.

Keyword

Dementia with Lewy bodies; Parkinson's disease with dementia

MeSH Terms

Antipsychotic Agents
Behavioral Symptoms
Caregivers
Cholinesterase Inhibitors
Dementia*
Diagnosis
Diagnostic Errors
Hallucinations
Humans
Hypersensitivity
Lewy Bodies*
Parkinsonian Disorders
REM Sleep Behavior Disorder
Antipsychotic Agents
Cholinesterase Inhibitors
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