HALLUCINATIONS AND SIGNS OF PARKINSONISM HELP DISTINGUISH PATIENTS WITH DEMENTIA AND CORTICAL LEWY BODIES FROM PATIENTS WITH ALZHEIMERS-DISEASE AT PRESENTATION - A CLINICOPATHOLOGICAL STUDY

Objectives-To compare, in a retrospective clinicopathological study, t he presentation features of patients with dementia and cortical Lewy b odies (Lewy body dementia) with those of patients with Alzheimer's dis ease. Methods-From a population of 426 cases from the dementia brain b ank, 39 cases of Lewy body dementia and 61 cases of Alzheimer's diseas e with presentation details were identified. Results-The Lewy body dem entia group had significantly more frequent hallucinations (23% v 3%, P = 0 . 006) and signs of parkinsonism (41% v 5%, P < 0 . 0001) than t he Alzheimer's disease group. The Lewy body dimentia group also had a greater proportion of men (62% v 34%, P = 0 . 013). Conclusion-Halluci nations and signs of parkinsonism help distinguish Lewy body dementia from Alzheimer's disease at presentation. These indicators may not be very sensitive, because they were reported for less than half of the p atients with Lewy body dementia.