What is a core feature of Major or Mild Neurocognitive Disorder with Lewy Bodies?

A core feature of Major or Mild Neurocognitive Disorder with Lewy Bodies is well-formed visual hallucinations. Individuals diagnosed with this disorder often experience vivid visual hallucinations that can vary in content and detail. These hallucinations may include seeing people, animals, or objects that are not present in reality, and they can be distressing to the individual suffering from the disorder.

This symptom is particularly significant because it distinguishes Lewy Body Dementia from other types of neurocognitive disorders, where hallucinations might not be as common or might manifest differently. The presence of these well-formed visual hallucinations is indicative of the underlying pathology associated with Lewy bodies in the brain, which impacts cognitive processing and perception.

Other features that may accompany this disorder include fluctuations in attention and alertness, parkinsonian symptoms, and changes in mood or behavior, but these do not serve as defining features as well as the visual hallucinations do.