Dementia with Lewy bodies Treatment
There are no treatments that can slow or stop the brain cell damage caused by dementia with Lewy bodies. Current strategies focus on helping symptoms.
More than 260 research studies pertaining to Alzheimer's and dementias are underway. Alzheimer's Association TrialMatch lets you search these trials quickly and easily. Find a trial.
If your treatment plan includes medications, it's important to work closely with your physician to identify the drugs that work best for you and the most effective doses. Treatment considerations involving medications include the following issues:
Cholinesterase inhibitors drugs are the current mainstay for treating thinking changes in Alzheimer's. They also may help certain DLB symptoms. Antipsychotic drugs should be used with extreme caution in DLB. Although physicians sometimes prescribe these drugs for behavioral symptoms that can occur in Alzheimer's, they may cause serious side effects in as many as 50 percent of those with DLB. Side effects may include sudden changes in consciousness, impaired swallowing, acute confusion, episodes of delusions or hallucinations, or appearance or worsening of Parkinson's symptoms. Antidepressants may be used to treat depression, which is common with DLB, Parkinson's disease dementia and Alzheimer's.The most commonly used antidepressants are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Clonazepam may be prescribed to treat REM sleep disorder. Like other types of dementia that destroy brain cells, DLB gets worse over time and shortens lifespan.