[Dementia with Lewy Bodies: From a Psychiatric Perspective]

Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) is characterized by a wide variety of symptoms, of which the combinations and order of appearance vary widely between patients. The primary target symptoms for treatment must be identified for each patient to establish a treatment plan. In this article, from a psychiatrist's perspective, I have summarized the symptoms that are targets of treatment, along with the severity of dementia and the key collaboration points between psychiatry and neurology. Attending physicians have experienced difficulties understanding the main treatment needs of their patients and caregivers, despite their expertise in DLB, because of the various clinical manifestations. It is therefore important for clinicians to pay attention to the need to treat psychiatric symptoms, cognitive impairment, Parkinsonism, sleep-related disorders, autonomic dysfunction, and abnormal eating behaviors.