Diagnosis and Management of Dementia with Lewy Bodies

ABSTRACT

Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) is considered the second most common cause of neurodegenerative dementia. It is characterized with clinical and pathological feature that distinguish it from Alzheimer's disease (AD). These characteristics include fluctuating cognition, visual hallucination, and spontaneous feature of parkinsonism. DLB is commonly accompanied by neuropsychiatric symptoms and recent literature suggests that behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPDS) are frequently associated with DLB. So, psychiatrist caring for older adults may need a greater awareness of the clinical presentations of DLB in order to make a timely diagnosis. Also geriatric psychiatrist need to increase knowledge in order to raise awareness about the risks and benefits of medications in patients with DLB and to provide practical information and support for caregivers. This article reviews the clinical syndrome of DLB and its management.