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Visual hallucinations in neurological and ophthalmological disease: Pathophysiology and management

Lookup NU author(s): Professor John O'Brien, Professor John-Paul TaylorORCiD, Professor Ian McKeith, Kirsty OlsenORCiD, Professor Alan ThomasORCiD

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).


Abstract

© 2020 Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Visual hallucinations are common in older people and are especially associated with ophthalmological and neurological disorders, including dementia and Parkinson's disease. Uncertainties remain whether there is a single underlying mechanism for visual hallucinations or they have different disease-dependent causes. However, irrespective of mechanism, visual hallucinations are difficult to treat. The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) funded a research programme to investigate visual hallucinations in the key and high burden areas of eye disease, dementia and Parkinson's disease, culminating in a workshop to develop a unified framework for their clinical management. Here we summarise the evidence base, current practice and consensus guidelines that emerged from the workshop. Irrespective of clinical condition, case ascertainment strategies are required to overcome reporting stigma. Once hallucinations are identified, physical, cognitive and ophthalmological health should be reviewed, with education and self-help techniques provided. Not all hallucinations require intervention but for those that are clinically significant, current evidence supports pharmacological modification of cholinergic, GABAergic, serotonergic or dopaminergic systems, or reduction of cortical excitability. A broad treatment perspective is needed, including carer support. Despite their frequency and clinical significance, there is a paucity of randomised, placebo-controlled clinical trial evidence where the primary outcome is an improvement in visual hallucinations. Key areas for future research include the development of valid and reliable assessment tools for use in mechanistic studies and clinical trials, transdiagnostic studies of shared and distinct mechanisms and when and how to treat visual hallucinations.


Publication metadata

Author(s): O'Brien J, Taylor JP, Ballard C, Barker RA, Bradley C, Burns A, Collerton D, Dave S, Dudley R, Francis P, Gibbons A, Harris K, Lawrence V, Leroi I, McKeith I, Michaelides M, Naik C, O'Callaghan C, Olsen K, Onofrj M, Pinto R, Russell G, Swann P, Thomas A, Urwyler P, Weil RS, Ffytche D

Publication type: Review

Publication status: Published

Journal: Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry

Year: 2020

Volume: 91

Issue: 5

Pages: 512-519

Print publication date: 01/05/2020

Online publication date: 25/03/2020

Acceptance date: 20/02/2020

ISSN (print): 0022-3050

ISSN (electronic): 1468-330X

Publisher: BMJ Publishing Group

URL: https://doi.org/10.1136/jnnp-2019-322702

DOI: 10.1136/jnnp-2019-322702


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