Lewy Body Dementia
Lewy Body Dementia
Most experts estimate that Lewy body dementia is the third most common cause of dementia after Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia, accounting for 5 to 10 percent of cases.
Symptoms
Symptoms of Lewy body dementia include:
- Changes in thinking and reasoning.
- Confusion and alertness that varies significantly from one time of day to another or from one day to the next.
- Slowness, gait imbalance and other Parkinsonian movement features.
- Well-formed visual hallucinations.
- Delusions.
- Trouble interpreting visual information.
- Sleep disturbances.
- Malfunctions of the “automatic” (autonomic) nervous system.
- Memory loss that may be significant but less prominent than in Alzheimer’s.
For more information please visit: Lewy Body Dementia Association https://www.lbda.org/
Lewy body dementia (LBD) is a progressive brain disorder caused by abnormal protein deposits called Lewy bodies that affect memory, thinking, movement, mood, sleep, and behavior. It is one of the most common types of dementia after Alzheimer’s disease.
Early symptoms of Lewy body dementia may include:
- Changes in attention and alertness
- Visual hallucinations
- REM sleep behavior disorder (acting out dreams)
- Parkinson-like movement problems such as stiffness or shuffling
- Difficulty with thinking and problem-solving
- Fluctuating confusion throughout the day
Symptoms often vary from person to person.
While both conditions affect memory and thinking, Lewy body dementia often causes visual hallucinations, sleep disturbances, movement problems, and fluctuating alertness much earlier than Alzheimer’s disease. Memory loss may not be the first symptom in Lewy body dementia.
Lewy body dementia develops when abnormal clumps of a protein called alpha-synuclein accumulate inside brain cells. These protein deposits interfere with brain function, affecting thinking, movement, sleep, and behavior. The exact reason these deposits form is still unknown.
There is no single test for Lewy body dementia. A neurologist typically diagnoses the condition by reviewing:
- Medical history
- Neurological examination
- Cognitive testing
- Brain imaging when appropriate
- Sleep and movement symptoms
Because symptoms overlap with Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, diagnosis can sometimes be challenging.
There is currently no cure for Lewy body dementia. However, medications, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, and supportive care can help manage symptoms and improve quality of life. Early diagnosis allows individuals and families to plan for future care needs.
Yes. Lewy body dementia and Parkinson’s disease are closely related because both involve abnormal alpha-synuclein protein deposits in the brain. In Dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB), cognitive symptoms occur before or around the same time as movement problems. In Parkinson’s disease dementia, movement symptoms begin first, followed by dementia later.
Lewy body dementia most commonly affects adults over the age of 60. Risk increases with age, and men are diagnosed slightly more often than women. Most people diagnosed have no family history of the disease.
A medical evaluation is recommended if someone experiences persistent memory problems, visual hallucinations, unexplained changes in alertness, Parkinson-like symptoms, or repeated sleep disturbances such as acting out dreams. Early diagnosis can improve symptom management and help families plan for the future.
A gerontologist provides guidance throughout the progression of Lewy body dementia by helping families understand the disease, coordinating medical and community resources, educating caregivers, assessing changing care needs, and assisting with decisions about home care, assisted living, memory care, and long-term care planning. Personalized support can improve quality of life for both the individual and their family.
Benefits of Working With A Gerontologist & Geriatric Care Manager Call 949-278-6181
Assistance from a Geriatric Care Manager or Gerontologist in California or North Texas with ongoing monitoring can prevent costly crises and unnecessary hospitalization. Geriatric Care Managers can be especially helpful when family members live far apart or when there are family dynamics and a facilitator is needed. Sometimes seniors are fearful of losing their independence and they don’t feel comfortable sharing their fears and concerns with their loved one. A Geriatric Care Manager will act as a liaison with families to help maintain good communication with families and other support systems to build or maintain important links between seniors and their families and, with permission, to alert families to problems areas that they may be able to assist with.
Geriatric Care Managers can reduce inappropriate institutional care and overuse of services as well as reduce miscommunications, time, stress, and cost to clients.
Yolanda Lawler, MASM RCFE
Serving North Texas and California
Gerontologist
