Dementia with Lewy Bodies

Abstract

Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) is a neurodegenerative disease which is recognized as one of dementia following Alzheimer's disease (AD). The clinical presentation of DLB is across between AD and Parkinson's disease (PD). The major clinical symptoms in DLB include fluctuations in cognition, visual hallucinations and parkinsonism. The neuropathology of DLB illustrated with deposition of Lewy bodies in the cortex and subcortical areas of human brain. Nicotinic and muscarinic receptors have been found to be lower in many regions of brains affected by DLB compared to normal. Neuropsychiatric aspects present in DLB involve with changes in nicotinic and muscarinic receptors. So far, management of DLB with cholinesterase inhibitors is one of the most effective treatments. Many DLB patients respond well with improvements in clinical symptoms and quality of life as well as a low incidence of neuroleptic sensitivity reactions, a serious side effect of DLB therapy with antipsychotic drugs.