Revisiting DLB Diagnosis: A Consideration of Prodromal DLB and of the Diagnostic Overlap With Alzheimer Disease

This article argues that further efforts should now be made to characterize this atypical group that constitutes cases previously identified postmortem as the Lewy body variant of Alzheimer disease (AD) or as AD with Lewy bodies. Since such fine distinction is unlikely to be achieved on clinical grounds alone, this new diagnostic category will require robust biomarker validation. Turning to a consideration of early/prodromal diagnosis of both typical and atypical DLB cases, it is suggested that there will be at least 3 prototypical forms—a mild cognitive impairment variant, associated with early visuoperceptual and attentional deficits; a delirium onset DLB with provoked or spontaneous delirium as the presenting features; and a psychiatric disorder DLB with its primary presentation as a late-onset affective disorder or psychosis.

Source: Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry and Neurology - August 7, 2016 Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Authors: McKeith, I., Taylor, J.-P., Thomas, A., Donaghy, P., Kane, J. Tags: Articles Source Type: research