Purpose: To describe the clinical syndrome called dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) and highlight its common and unique characteristics with respect to diagnosis and management.
Data sources: Review of the scientific literature including psychiatric literature, reports of clinical trials, and clinical practice guidelines.
Conclusions: DLB is a clinical and histopathologic disease, which is second only to Alzheimer's disease (AD) as a cause of dementia in older adults. The clinical syndrome of DLB includes cognitive and motor deterioration reminiscent of symptoms associated with AD and Parkinson's disease (PD) respectively.
Implications for practice: The late life intersection of cognitive and motor symptoms can present significant challenges in the primary care setting. Recognizing key features of common neurodegenerative disorders is essential to accurately diagnosing and appropriately treating the growing population of older adults who suffer from AD, PD, and DLB.