How to Get Rid of Dementia with Lewy Bodies

Lewy Body Dementia - DLB

What is dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB)?

Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) is a form of dementia that shares characteristics with both Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. It may account for 10 to 15 per cent of all cases of dementia in older people. This information sheet outlines the symptoms of DLB, how it is diagnosed and how it is treated.

Why is it called Dementia with Lewy Bodies?

The illness has had many names and is now known as Dementia with Lewy bodies.  The changes in the brain cells (Lewy bodies) were first described by Frederich Lewy a colleague of Alois Alzheimer.  These changes were first recognised in Parkinson's disease where they are mostly restricted to one area of the brain.  In LBD the Lewy bodies are more widely distributed throughout the brain.

What causes Lewy body Dementia?

At present, there is no known cause of Lewy body Dementia and risk factors have not been identified. In rare cases, the disease is passed from generation to generation.

What are the symptoms of Lewy Body Dementia - DLB?

The dementia associated with Lewy body disease affects:

• memory
• language
• the ability to judge distances
• the ability to carry out simple actions
• the ability to reason.

People with this form of dementia suffer hallucinations for example seeing a person or pet on a bed or a chair when nothing is there.

They may suffer from falls for no apparent reason, because their ability to judge distances and make movements and actions accurately is disrupted.

They may develop some Parkinson type symptoms such as slowness of movement, stiffness and tremor. In a few cases heart rate and blood pressure are affected. The abilities of the affected person often fluctuate from hour to hour, and over weeks and months. This sometimes causes carers to think that the person is putting on their confusion.

Features supportive of the diagnosis are:

• Repeated falls
• Syncope
• Transient loss of consciousness
• Neuroleptic sensitivity
• Systematized delusion
• Hallucinations in other modalities

Treatment of Lewy Body Dementia - DLB

Scientists continue to search for a specific course of therapy for people with dementia with Lewy bodies. Treatment is symptomatic, often involving the use of medication to control the parkinsonian and psychiatric symptoms. However, patients should be aware that antiparkinsonian medication that may help to reduce tremor and loss of muscle movement may actually worsen such symptoms as hallucinations and delusions. Similarly, neuroleptic drugs prescribed for psychiatric symptoms may in fact markedly worsen the movement symptoms. In general atypical antipsychotic medications are more successful than older drugs such as haloperidol.

It is very important for patients to receive the diagnosis of what type of dementia they are suffering from, so that they may be treated with the appropriate medication. In addition, caregivers can help their loved ones more effectively when they understand the diagnosis and cognitive impairments with which their loved one is grappling. Focusing on cognitive strengths and de-emphasizing deficits allows the Lewy Body patient to enjoy a better quality of life.

Facts and Tips about Lewy Body dementia

• Lewy body dementia is a type of dementia which consists of lewy body inside brain.
  
• It is difficult to differentiate lewy body dementia from Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease because of similar symptoms and they are associated with each other.
  
• Unusual deposits of a protein inside nerve cells are called as Lewy bodies and hence name of disease is given as Lewy body dementia.
  
• Visual hallucinations, movement disorder, delusions, fluctuations in autonomic procedures, cognitive problems, sleep difficulties, depression and anxiety are symptoms of lewy body dementia.
  
• It is prominent in male and occurs above age of 65. Patient may live nearly for eight years after beginning of symptoms.
  
• No specific treatment is present to cure disease. Treatment depending on symptoms is given to reduce symptoms.

Dementia Overview
Multi infarct Dementia
Fronto Temporal dementia
Lewy Body dementia
Frontal Lobe dementia
Parkinsons-Dementia
Pick's disease
Niemann-Pick Disease

My grandfather has Dementia with Lewy bodies. Once sitting watching TV with my grandfather we were watching a voilent film and he rushed to get my father...Explaining to him that there were a bunch of men shooting at eachother outside. My grandfather would also see people with body parts missing, as he himself was an amputee. Also while he slept he would see spiders in the bed with him. It's a very sceary ordeal for anyone. - maddi (3/24/2006)

I actually have a question... If LBD shares characteristics with Parkinson's Disease, is a diagnosis of Parkinson's Disease with Lewey Body Dementia an accurate diagnosis? Does LBD occur with Parkinson's Disease, or would it be that the person has LBD with Parkinsonian characteristics? - Corrie Schulze

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