Lewy body dementia.

Brown, D F

Although Lewy body dementia (LBD) has received a considerable amount of interest in the last decade, there still exists a certain level of confusion concerning the clinical and neuropathological features associated with this disorder. According to many researchers, LBD represents a distinct dementing illness with specific clinical features. The neuropathological hallmark for this disorder is the Lewy body, a spherical intraneuronal cytoplasmic inclusion originally described in brainstem nuclei in Parkinson's disease. In LBD, Lewy bodies are found in subcortical nuclei, such as the substantia nigra, as well as diffusely in the neocortex. Recently, a consortium on dementia with Lewy bodies was held that established consensus guidelines for the clinical and pathological diagnosis of LBD. This review will focus on the newest developments in LBD, addressing specifically clinical and neuropathological features, diagnostic classification, genetics and potential pharmacotherapy.