Lewy Body Disease

Synonyms

Cortical Lewy Body Disease

Dementia, Lewy Body

Diffuse Lewy Body Disease

Lewy Body Dementia

Lewy Body Disease, Cortical

Lewy Body Disease, Diffuse

Lewy Body Type Senile Dementia

A neurodegenerative disease characterized by dementia, mild parkinsonism, and fluctuations in attention and alertness. The neuropsychiatric manifestations tend to precede the onset of bradykinesia, MUSCLE RIGIDITY, and other extrapyramidal signs. DELUSIONS and visual HALLUCINATIONS are relatively frequent in this condition. Histologic examination reveals LEWY BODIES in the CEREBRAL CORTEX and BRAIN STEM. SENILE PLAQUES and other pathologic features characteristic of ALZHEIMER DISEASE may also be present. (From Neurology 1997;48:376-380; Neurology 1996;47:1113-1124)

See Also