A case of dementia with Lewy bodies presenting as a gustatory disorder which was difficult to distinguish from gustatory hallucination

Abstract

A male patient with dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) presented with a gustatory disorder, which was difficult to distinguish from gustatory hallucination because his complaints were severe and bizarre. Zinc therapy was effective against his symptoms, which started to improve within about 6 weeks. From this, it was possible to conclude that zinc deficiency had caused his gustatory disorder. The important points of this case are as follows: 1) As there are many treatments for gustatory disorders, multidisciplinary cooperation and collaboration are very important for treating such disorders in patients with DLB. 2) Some important features for differentiating between zinc deficiency-induced gustatory disorders and gustatory hallucination are described in this report, but a greater number of similar cases are required to establish the optimal method for differentiating between these conditions. 3) The possibility of so-called ‘central neuropathic dysesthesia’ caused by Lewy pathology and the treatment of this condition will be considered further in the near future. 4) The effectiveness of cholinesterase inhibitors, including donepezil, against gustatory hallucination needs to be established.