Lewy Score

As you know, DLB(Dementia with Lewy Bodies) is the second dementia, next to ATD(Alzheimer's  Type Disease). The Kono Method shows the Lewy Score that can easily diagnoses DLB.　
It is easy to find DLB by using Lewy score, for not only the doctor but also the caregiver.

DLB is at increased risk for being misdiagnosed, drug erethism and easy to produce the side effect to drugs.　The typical patient with DLB tends to close eyes, sleep, or not look at a doctor. In addition, the body is inclined and/or elbows have a cogwheel phenomenon.  They move sluggishly.



Hypersensitivity for drugs
Responding excessively to the OTC(over-the-counter) drug such as cold medicines.

Hallucination, delusion(feeling with someone)
Seeing something notwithstanding nothing there.

Loss of consciousness  (except for clear epilepsy)
Being absent-mindedness. Looking like napping.

Talking in patient's sleep at night
Talking with someone while sleeping alone. Sometimes, REM(rapid eye movement) sleep behavior disorder appears.

Swallow disorder (when eating)
Being choked with food while swallowing.

Soberness with no hobby
Being serious (almost) to a fault.

Deep sleep, take a midday nap over 1 hour
Excessively　drowsing away.

Tremor while reposing
Slight movement with patient's hands while doing nothing.

Cogwheel phenomenon, first rigid
Cogwheel phenomenon: Feeling like moving smoothly and stopping slightly and moving smoothly and stopping slightly while lifting patient's elbow up.
First rigid: Feeling like heavy lifting-up and then smoothly moving while lifting patient's elbow up.

Trunk (of the body) incline
Being out of upright, or tumbling easily and repeatedly.


The patient with ATD does not take three points or more.
It is very important that doctor or caregiver should distinguish DLB from other types of dementia, because the patient with DLB is very hypersensitivity for drugs.