Lewy body dementia

Last reviewed 07/2023

Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) is the second most common cause of dementia in the elderly after Alzheimer's disease.

The core feature of DLB is a progressive dementia, however other features are characteristic:

  • Parkinsonism often accompanies, or even precedes, the dementia
  • the level of cognitive impairment fluctuates from hour to hour and day to day
  • complex visual hallucinations are common
  • the patient is very sensitive to neuroleptic medication