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The Meaning Of Lewy Body Dementia
Dementia, in general, is when daily activities are affected due to a decline in cognition function. There are many types of dementia, and one of the common ones include Lewy body dementia (LBD). Lewy body dementia is a neurological disorder where abnormal protein accumulates in the brain, causing damage to the brain. The disease impairs one’s ability in functioning, such as thinking, movement, reasoning, processing information, and even mood.
The cause
There is no specific known cause of Lewy body dementia and research is ongoing. The only knowledge is that the condition occurs due to the accumulation of proteins, known as Lewy bodies. The accumulation occurs in the brain areas that deal with cognition, movement, and behavior. Although there is no specific cause, there are risk factors such as old age, male gender, and genetics. Interestingly, Lewy bodies cause some symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.
Signs to watch out for
The signs of different types of dementia are similar, but there are specific signs of Lewy body dementia to differentiate. The vigilant signs of LBD include changes in cognition, movement, behavior, and sleep. The cognitive symptoms include visual and non-visual hallucinations and a decline in thinking, focusing, attention, and alertness. The movement symptoms involve changes in mobility and writing, balance issues and falling, tremors, muscle rigidity, and abnormal posture. The behavior and sleep symptoms include anxiety, depressed mood, restlessness, agitation, delusions, sleep disturbances, insomnia, and restless leg syndrome
Diagnosis and treatment
There is no specific medical test to diagnose LBD. The diagnosis is based on a detailed medical history, signs and symptoms, and physical examination, including a neurological exam. Tests such as neuropsychological and brain imaging may be conducted, even blood tests if required. There is no specific cure for this disease, but medications may help with the symptoms. There are non-pharmacological treatments such as physical, speech, and occupational therapies that may also alleviate the symptoms.
Lewy body dementia and Parkinson’s disease
LBD and Parkinson’s disease do not belong to the same disorder. However, the Lewy bodies are found in both, Lewy body dementia and Parkinson’s disease. The one difference between the two medical conditions is that cognitive symptoms and hallucinations appear sooner in Lewy body dementia. Therefore, in any situation, recognizing the initial signs is crucial and consulting the doctor without any delay.
