Abstract
Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) is a synucleinopathy that is clinically distinct from
Alzheimer's disease, associated with cognitive decline, fluctuations in alertness
and cognition, visual hallucinations, and parkinsonism. Other clinical symptoms that
can occur with DLB include dysautonomia and sleep disorders such as rapid-eye-movement
sleep behavior disorder (RBD). The pathological criteria of DLB are associated with
the location of Lewy body pathology and the extent of Alzheimer's pathology seen.
Treatment is symptomatic. The genetic basis of DLB is being explored, and future studies
will investigate ways to identify those most at risk for DLB prior to the onset of
cognitive symptoms.
Keywords
Lewy bodies - synucleinopathy - REM sleep behavior disorder - dysautonomia - parkinsonism