EEG findings in dementia with Lewy bodies causing diagnostic confusion with sporadic Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease

Abstract

Two patients with pathologically confirmed dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) had electroencephalogram recordings reported to show periodic discharges suggestive or typical of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. These findings caused diagnostic confusion and necessitated appropriate precautions for prion disease at postmortem examination. Periodic sharp wave complexes have occasionally been reported in DLB and should not therefore dissuade one from the diagnosis when other clinical and neuropsychological features are consistent with validated diagnostic criteria.