Atenção psicossocial em um caso de Demência potencialmente reversível / Psychosocial Care in a potentially reversible case of Dementia / Atención psicosocial en un caso de Demencia potencialmente reversible

As síndromes demenciais têm múltiplas etiologias e, entre as causas de demências potencialmente reversíveis, está a depressão. Apresenta-se aqui um estudo de caso de paciente idoso diagnosticado com Demência por Corpos de Lewy e que, após tratamento multiprofissional, teve melhora da sua condição cognitiva e emocional, fazendo-se rever o diagnóstico inicial. Considerou-se que os sintomas demenciais iniciais estavam associados aos sintomas depressivos e o cuidado baseado na atenção psicossocial foi fundamental para as mudanças observadas.

Dementia syndromes have multiple etiologies and among the causes of potentially reversible dementias is depression. We present here a case study of an elderly patient diagnosed with Dementia by Lewy Bodies and who, after multiprofessional treatment, had an improvement in his cognitive and emotional condition, and the initial diagnosis was reviewed. Initial dementia symptoms were considered to be associated with depressive symptoms and care based on psychosocial care was central to the observed changes.

Los síndromes demenciales tienen múltiples etiologías y, entre las causas de demencias potencialmente reversibles, está la depresión. Se presenta aquí un estudio de caso de paciente mayor diagnosticado con Demencia por Cuerpos de Lewy y que, después del tratamiento multiprofesional, tuvo mejoría de su condición cognitiva y emocional, haciéndose revisar el diagnóstico inicial. Se consideró que los síntomas demenciales iniciales estaban asociados a los síntomas depresivos y el cuidado basado en la atención psicosocial fue fundamental para los cambios observados.

Nightmares without atonia as an early symptom of diffuse Lewy bodies disease

A male 70 years old patient with diffuse or ''pure'' Lewy body disease is described. The diagnosis was made based on clinical features of nightmares with no atonia, attention deficits with fluctuation in cognitive function, incapacity to find his way around the neighbourhood and other formerly familiar environments and mild neuropsychiatric symptoms. Neuropsychological assessment showed memory deficits, visuospatial and visuo-constructive disturbances. He had neither parkinsonism nor recurrent visual hallucinations typically well formed and detailled. Neuroimaging (computed tomography and magnetic resonance spectroscopy) showed mild diffuse cortical atrophy, mostly on the left temporal lobe and a decrease of N-acetil-aspartate levels. A cholinesterase inhibitor was prescribed to this patient during 6 months with clinically relevant behavioral effect. Diagnosis confirmation was made by post-mortem neuropathological findings. Macroscopical features were mild atrophy on the frontal, parietal and temporal lobes, notedly on the frontal lobes. Microscopically, there was neuronal loss and diffuse classic Lewy bodies. Brainstem (substantia nigra, raphe nucleus, locus coeruleus, pedunculopontine nucleus), limbic cortex, and neocortex (frontal, parietal and temporal) were the areas of predilection for Lewy bodies. Hematoxylin-eosin and Bielschowsky staining did not show neuronal swelling (balooned cell), argyrophilic inclusion (Pick's bodies), neurofibrillary tangles nor senile plaques. Immunohistochemical staining for anti-tau, anti-beta-amyloid, and anti-prion protein were negative. Antiubiquitine reaction was positive for Lewy body in the cerebral cortex and brainstem