The symptoms of this condition include those usually found in psychotic illnesses and include hallucinations, delusions and mood violent swings. The sufferer is also prone to falls and memory lapses, although these symptoms may vary on a day to day basis. This form of dementia in younger people in UK accounts for 17% of all dementias' (Tobianksy, 1994) and comprises a sub-set of disorders. The disease is named after the formation of abnormal lumps in nerve cells, called Lewy Bodies

At the onset Diagnosis may be contiguous with psychotic illness, however once dementia is established as core, it is often diagnosed as Alzheimer's Disease, Vascular dementia such as multi-infarct dementia or Binswanger's disease; or a form of Parkinson's Disease - with which it shares many characteristics. Tests will be performed to test blood and neuroimaging, however final diagnosis will usually be determined by physical & psychological indicators, as above; frequent falls, hallucinations and irregular memory - especially loss of short-term memory, or the opposite state where memory will not go

Treatment is difficult due to the conflicting requirments of psychosis and Parkinsonism, as a high percentage of sufferers have adverse reactions to anti-psychotic drugs. Recent trials with the drugs Clozapine & Olanzapine are seen to be reducing psychosis without accelerating Parkinsonism

Before use of neuroleptic agents (Clozapine & Olanzapine) in patients with dementia other pharmacological and psychological therapies should be explored first. Sometimes it is felt that there is no option but to use neuroleptic therapy in patients and this should be done in the context of a hospital setting under close monitoring, either in the first week of therapy or after a dose change

There is no known current treatment that can halt the progress of this form of Dementia; although we know that medical science is constantly searching for therapy that not only will halt onset, but reverse progression. Initial anecdotal experience with cholinergic therpy has shown some promise. We live in hope

For futher information see http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/pathology/lewy/lewyinfo.html