About the Course

The psychiatric symptoms of Lewy body dementia (LBD) are among the most bothersome for families and the most difficult to manage for health care providers. Recurrent visual, auditory, and other sensory hallucinations occur in up to 80% of people with LBD and may be accompanied by delusions, which are often paranoid in nature. Changes to mood such as apathy, anxiety, agitation and depressive symptoms are also common LBD symptoms. Unfortunately, a severe sensitivity to antipsychotics is also a common symptom of DLB, complicating medical management efforts. This course provides an overview of the psychiatric symptoms of Lewy body dementia and how they are managed. Each of the four lessons in Unpacking Psychiatric Symptoms address a psychiatric symptom category and provides examples of how they manifest in LBD as well as coping and management strategies.
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Course curriculum

    1. Course Description

    2. Video Introduction:

    1. Lesson 1: Description

    2. About the Presenter: Susan Maixner, M.D.

    3. Lesson 1: Slides for download (PDF)

    4. Video Lesson: Hallucinations and Delusions

    5. Video Lesson: Psychosis Treatment Approaches

    1. Lesson 2: Description

    2. About the Presenter: Pallavi Joshi

    3. Lesson 2: Slides for download (PDF)

    4. Video Lesson: Understanding Mood and Personality Shifts

    1. Lesson 3: Description

    2. About the Presenter: Kate Wyman

    3. Lesson 3: Slides for Download (PDF)

    4. Video Lesson: Understanding the Unrest: Agitation and Aggression in Lewy Body Dementia

    1. About the Presenter: Chiadi Uchendu Onyike, MBBS, MHS

    2. Video Lesson:

    1. Resource: Emergency Room Treatment of Psychosis

    2. The U.S. Based DIAMOND Lewy™ Management Toolkit

    3. LBD Medical Alert Wallet Card

    4. New Research Supports Nuplazid (Pimavanserin) Use in Parkinson’s Disease Dementia

    5. Check out our Lewy Briefs, featured on the free site - Mediflix

About this course

  • 2.5 hours of video content

Meet Your Instructors

Julia Wood, MOT, OTR/L

Julia Wood is an occupational therapist and educator specializing in Parkinson’s disease and Lewy body dementia. She currently serves as Director of Professional and Community Education for the Lewy Body Dementia Association and as faculty for the LSVT BIG® program. Julia co-authored the American Occupational Therapy Association’s first Practice Guideline for Adults with Parkinson’s Disease and plays an active role in international education and advocacy. Her career is dedicated to empowering individuals and care partners through evidence-based rehabilitation and community engagement.

Susan Maixner, MD

Dr. Susan Maixner is a triple-boarded psychiatrist specializing in geriatric psychiatry, general psychiatry, and hospice and palliative medicine. She is nationally recognized for her leadership in geriatric psychiatry education and advocacy for humanism in medicine. A Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association, Dr. Maixner has received numerous honors, including the American Psychiatric Association’s Nancy C.A. Roeske Award for Excellence in Medical Student Education. Her work focuses on improving mental health care and quality of life for older adults.

Pallavi Joshi, MD

Dr. Pallavi Joshi is a geriatric psychiatrist whose clinical and academic work centers on Alzheimer’s disease and late-life mental health. She serves as Program Director for the University of Arizona’s Geriatric Psychiatry Fellowship and provides care at Banner Alzheimer’s Institute in Phoenix. Dr. Joshi completed her fellowship in Geriatric Psychiatry at Yale School of Medicine and residency at Northwell Health, where she was Chief Resident. She actively contributes to national professional organizations and presents widely on geriatric psychiatry and cognitive disorders.

Kate Wyman, PsyD, ABPP-CN

Dr. Kate Wyman is a board-certified clinical neuropsychologist and clinician-investigator at Struthers Parkinson’s Center. She earned her PsyD in Clinical Psychology from Pacific University and completed advanced neuropsychology training at the University of Kansas School of Medicine and the University of Virginia Medical Center. Dr. Wyman’s research focuses on cognition, behavior, and dementia care in Parkinson’s and Lewy body disorders. She has received national and international recognition for her work, including the Rising Star Award at the 2022 International Lewy Body Dementia Conference.

Chiadi Uchendu Onyike, MBBS, MHS

Dr. Chiadi Onyike is a neuropsychiatrist and Associate Professor at Johns Hopkins University specializing in the diagnosis and care of neurodegenerative diseases such as frontotemporal dementia, young-onset Alzheimer’s disease, and Lewy body dementia. His research examines the epidemiology and treatment of neurodegenerative and cognitive disorders. A leader in international collaborations, Dr. Onyike has advised major research agencies including the NIH, FDA, and MRC-UK, and serves on numerous scientific and advisory boards dedicated to advancing dementia research and clinical care.