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. 2018 Oct 15;13(10):e0205909.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0205909. eCollection 2018.

Association of visual hallucinations with very mild degenerative dementia due to dementia with Lewy bodies

Wei Lin  1 , Yuan-Chang Xie  1 , Po-Ya Cheng  2 , Ling-Ying Dong  2 , Guang-Uei Hung  3 , Pai-Yi Chiu  2
Affiliations

Association of visual hallucinations with very mild degenerative dementia due to dementia with Lewy bodies

Wei Lin et al. PLoS One. .

Abstract

Background and purpose: Complex, well-formed, and detailed visual hallucinations (VHs) are among the core clinical features of dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB). We investigated the diagnostic value of VHs in different types of very mild degenerative dementia.

Methods: Participants were required to complete a structured interview form recording their basic data, clinical history, neuropsychological tests, and neuropsychiatric symptoms. Basic demographic characteristics of the participants were summarized and compared. The frequency and association factors of VHs were compared among three major degenerative dementia groups, namely, Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease dementia (PDD), and DLB.

Results: A total of 197 patients with dementia and a clinical dementia rating of 0.5 were investigated, comprising 124 with AD, 35 with PDD, and 38 with DLB. A significantly higher frequency of VHs was found in the DLB group compared with the other groups (DLB, PDD, and AD = 31.6%, 11.4%, and 4.0%; p < 0.001). A multivariable logistic regression test for associations of positive VHs revealed that DLB was the only independently predictive factor (odds ratio: 13.62; p < 0.001).

Conclusion: Our findings revealed a high diagnostic value of VHs in very mild degenerative dementia. VHs in this stage of dementia were significantly associated with DLB, and more than 30% of patients with very mild dementia caused by DLB presented with VHs.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Fig 1
Fig 1. Comparison of frequency of clinical features between VH+ and VH− patients.
VH: visual hallucinations; RBD: REM sleep behavior disorder; DaT abN: abnormal dopamine transporter uptake. * p < 0.05.
Fig 2
Fig 2. Comparison of frequency of each NPI domain between VH+ and VH− patients.
# Hallucination in nonvisual domain. * p < 0.001.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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