Visual Hallucinations in Alzheimer's Disease

2004 ◽  
pp. 126-135 ◽  
Author(s):  
Suzanne Holroyd
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Visual Hallucinations

A Detailed Phenomenological Comparison of Complex Visual Hallucinations in Dementia With Lewy Bodies and Alzheimer's Disease

1997 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 381-388 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clive Ballard ◽  
Ian McKeith ◽  
Richard Harrison ◽  
John O'Brien ◽  
Peter Thompson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Dementia With Lewy Bodies ◽  
Lewy Bodies ◽  
Time Of Day ◽  
Visual Hallucinations ◽  
Dementia Patients ◽  
Core Feature ◽  
Definition Of

Visual hallucinations (VH) are a core feature of dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), but little is known about their phenomenology. A total of 73 dementia patients (42 DLB, 30 Alzheimer's disease [AD], 1 undiagnosed) in contact with clinical services were assessed with a detailed standardized inventory. DLB was diagnosed according to the criteria of McKeith and colleagues, AD was diagnosed using the NINCDS-ADRDA criteria. Autopsy confirmation has been obtained when possible. VH were defined using the definition of Burns and colleagues. Detailed descriptions of hallucinatory experiences were recorded. Annual follow-up interviews were undertaken. The clinical diagnosis has been confirmed in 18 of the 19 cases that have come to autopsy. A total of 93% of DLB patients and 27% of AD patients experienced VH. DLB patients were significantly more likely to experience multiple VH that persisted over follow-up. They were significantly more likely to hear their VH speak but there were no significant differences in the other phenomenological characteristics including whether the hallucinations moved, the time of day that they were experienced, their size, the degree of insight, and whether they were complete. VH may be more likely to be multiple, to speak, and to be persistent in DLB patients. These characteristics could potentially aid accurate diagnosis.

Concomitants of visual hallucinations in Alzheimer's disease

Neurology ◽  
1994 ◽  
Vol 44 (3, Part 1) ◽  
pp. 523-523 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. J. Lerner ◽  
E. Koss ◽  
M. B. Patterson ◽  
R. L. Ownby ◽  
P. Hedera ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Visual Hallucinations

Occipital Atrophy Is Associated With Visual Hallucinations in Alzheimer's Disease

2000 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 25-28 ◽  
Author(s):  
Suzanne Holroyd ◽  
Michael L. Shepherd ◽  
J. Hunter Downs
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Visual Hallucinations

scholarly journals Prospective predictors of decline v. stability in mild cognitive impairment with Lewy bodies or Alzheimer's disease

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Calum A. Hamilton ◽  
Fiona E. Matthews ◽  
Paul C. Donaghy ◽  
John-Paul Taylor ◽  
John T. O'Brien ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Cognitive Impairment ◽  
Mild Cognitive Impairment ◽  
Latent Class ◽  
Lewy Bodies ◽  
Cognitive Status ◽  
Rapid Decline ◽  
Visual Hallucinations ◽  
Full Cohort

Abstract Background Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) may gradually worsen to dementia, but often remains stable for extended periods of time. Little is known about the predictors of decline to help explain this variation. We aimed to explore whether this heterogeneous course of MCI may be predicted by the presence of Lewy body (LB) symptoms in a prospectively-recruited longitudinal cohort of MCI with Lewy bodies (MCI-LB) and Alzheimer's disease (MCI-AD). Methods A prospective cohort (n = 76) aged ⩾60 years underwent detailed assessment after recent MCI diagnosis, and were followed up annually with repeated neuropsychological testing and clinical review of cognitive status and LB symptoms. Latent class mixture modelling identified data-driven sub-groups with distinct trajectories of global cognitive function. Results Three distinct trajectories were identified in the full cohort: slow/stable progression (46%), intermediate progressive decline (41%) and a small group with a much faster decline (13%). The presence of LB symptomology, and visual hallucinations in particular, predicted decline v. a stable cognitive trajectory. With time zeroed on study end (death, dementia or withdrawal) where available (n = 39), the same subgroups were identified. Adjustment for baseline functioning obscured the presence of any latent classes, suggesting that baseline function is an important parameter in prospective decline. Conclusions These results highlight some potential signals for impending decline in MCI; poorer baseline function and the presence of probable LB symptoms – particularly visual hallucinations. Identifying people with a rapid decline is important but our findings are preliminary given the modest cohort size.

Cognitive and Behavioral Determinants of Psychotic Symptoms in Alzheimer's Disease

2015 ◽  
Vol 39 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 194-206 ◽  
Author(s):  
Davide Quaranta ◽  
Maria Gabriella Vita ◽  
Alessandra Bizzarro ◽  
Carlo Masullo ◽  
Chiara Piccininni ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Cognitive Impairment ◽  
Visual Memory ◽  
Motor Behavior ◽  
Memory Task ◽  
Psychotic Symptoms ◽  
Visual Hallucinations ◽  
Behavioral Determinants ◽  
Visuospatial Abilities

Aims: To investigate the relationship between psychotic symptoms and cognitive impairment in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Methods: A total of 108 subjects affected by AD were subdivided into subjects without delusions (ND), subjects with paranoid delusions (PD), subjects with delusional misidentifications (DM), subjects with both DM and PD (DM+PD), subjects with visual hallucinations (v-HALL), and subjects without visual hallucinations (N-HALL). Results: PD and ND subjects performed similarly on neuropsychological tests, while DM patients performed significantly worse than PD and ND patients. v-HALL patients performed worse than N-HALL patients on memory, visuospatial, and executive functions. As for behavioral features, DM and v-HALL subjects reported higher scores on the abnormal motor behavior subscale of the neuropsychiatric inventory (NPI); PD subjects reported higher scores on the disinhibition subscale of the NPI. The severity of PD was predicted by the severity of disinhibition (B = 0.514; p = 0.016) but not by neuropsychological performances. The severity of DM was predicted by age (B = 0.099; p = 0.048) and MMSE (B = -0.233; p = 0.001). The severity of v-HALL was predicted by age (B = 0.052; p = 0.037) and scores on an immediate visual memory task (B = -0.135; p = 0.007). Conclusions: The occurrence of PD may require the relative sparing of cognitive functions and be favored by frontal lobe dysfunction, while DM is associated with the overall level of cognitive impairment. Finally, v-HALL are associated with the impairment of visuospatial abilities.

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