Estela Chester How does dementia related psychosis differ than other types of psychosis?

Estela Chester How does dementia related psychosis differ than other types of psychosis?

Dementia related psychosis differs from regular psychosis as there are more visual hallucinations vs. auditory delusions present. This usually affects the older population. Patient’s family members and dynamics come into play more often with patients with dementia related psychosis (DRP) than with dementia without psychosis (NEI, 2020).

Differentiate the clinical presentations of psychosis in clients with the four different types of dementia.

The prevalence of psychosis is different depending on which type of dementia the patient has.

With Lewy Body dementia, ¾ of patients with this diagnosis will have some form of psychosis. Within a year, the patient can develop Parkinson’s or dementia. This type of dementia affects the temporal occipital area of the brain.

Parkinson’s: Lewy body is also involved. 50%+ will have dementia with psychosis. It takes more than a year for Parkinson’s and dementia to develop after the first symptoms. The subcortical area of the brain is affected.

Alzheimer’s Disease: 1/3 will have some form of psychosis. This is the most common dementia form. Temporal & parietal areas of the brain are affected with this type of dementia.

Vascular: 15% of patients with vascular dementia will have psychosis. The subcortical area is affected. Macro and microvascular pathology is involved. Macrovascular can present as a stroke-like lesion leading to cognitive impairment. For microvascular involvement, HTN, diabetes, and cholesterol can cause small vessel disease, leading to slower accumulated behavioral changes.

Frontotemporal Dementia: 5-10% will develop psychosis. As the name states, the frontotemporal area is involved.

Alzheimer’s disease is more monitored than other less common dementias. Therefore, psychosis could be unrecognized in the less popular dementias.

All forms of psychosis in dementia are treated symptomatically when issues occur.

Mixed dementias and dementias with variations at the time of pathology are also possible (NEI, 2020).