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Drug Treatment of REM Sleep Behavior Disorders in Dementia With Lewy Bodies

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 January 2005

Gloria Massironi ,
Samantha Galluzzi  and
Giovanni B. Frisoni
Gloria Massironi
Affiliation:
Laboratory of Epidemiology and Neuroimaging, IRCCS San Giovanni di Dio-FBF, Brescia, Italy
Samantha Galluzzi
Affiliation:
Laboratory of Epidemiology and Neuroimaging, IRCCS San Giovanni di Dio-FBF, Brescia, Italy
Giovanni B. Frisoni
Affiliation:
Laboratory of Epidemiology and Neuroimaging, IRCCS San Giovanni di Dio-FBF, Brescia, Italy
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Abstract

Background: Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) is often associated with REM sleep behavior disorders (RBD) characterized, in contrast to the usual paralysis of REM sleep, by violent motor and verbal activity. Patients and Methods: The pharmacological management of RBD was investigated in three DLB patients treated with clonazepam, a benzodiazepine used as an antiepileptic, or donepezil, a cholinesterase inhibitor. Results: All three patients had marked improvement. The pharmacodynamic mechanisms underlying the efficacy of the two drugs might be due to facilitator effect on the pedunculopontine nucleus, a key structure in the physiology of REM sleep.

Keywords

Dementia with Lewy bodiesREM sleepdonepezilclonazepamtherapy
Type
Articles
Information
International Psychogeriatrics , Volume 15 , Issue 4 , December 2003 , pp. 377 - 383
Copyright
© 2003 International Psychogeriatric Association

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