Submitted By Reflections Memory Care
Lewy Body Dementia (LBD) is a complex and challenging brain disorder. It is complex because it affects many parts of the brain in ways that scientists are trying to understand more fully. It is challenging because its many possible symptoms make it hard to do everyday tasks that once came easily.
Although lesser known than its “cousins” Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease, LBD is not a rare disorder. More than 1 million Americans, most of them older adults, are affected by its disabling changes in the ability to think and move.
The Basics
LBD is a disease associated with abnormal deposits of a protein called alpha-synuclein in the brain. These deposits, called Lewy bodies, affect chemicals in the brain whose changes, in turn, can lead to problems with thinking, movement, behavior, and mood. LBD is one of the most common causes of dementia, after Alzheimer’s disease and vascular disease.
Dementia is a severe loss of thinking abilities that interferes with a person’s capacity to perform daily activities, such as household tasks, personal care, and handling finances. Dementia has many possible causes, including stroke, brain tumor, depression, and vitamin deficiency, as well as disorders such as LBD, Parkinson’s, and Alzheimer’s.
Diagnosing LBD can be challenging for a number of reasons. Early LBD symptoms are often confused with similar symptoms found in other brain diseases like Alzheimer’s. In addition, LBD can occur alone or along with Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease.
There are two types of LBD — dementia with Lewy bodies and Parkinson’s disease dementia. The earliest signs of these two diseases differ but reflect the same biological changes in the brain. Over time, people who have dementia with Lewy bodies or Parkinson’s disease dementia may develop similar symptoms
Who Is Affected by LBD?
LBD affects more than 1 million individuals in the United States. LBD typically begins at age 50 or older, although younger people can sometimes be affected by it. LBD appears to affect slightly more men than women.
LBD is a progressive disease, meaning symptoms start slowly and worsen over time. The disease lasts an average of 5 to 7 years from the time of diagnosis to death, but the time span can range from 2 to 20 years. How quickly symptoms develop and change varies greatly from person to person, depending on overall health, age, and severity of symptoms.
In the early stages of LBD, usually before a diagnosis is made, symptoms can be mild, and people can function normally. As the disease advances, people with LBD require more and more help due to a decline in thinking and movement abilities. In the later stages of the disease, they may depend entirely on others for assistance and care.
Some LBD symptoms may respond to treatment for a period of time. Currently, there is no cure for the disease. Research is improving our understanding of this challenging condition, and advances in science may one day lead to better diagnosis, improved care, and new treatments.
Understanding Terms
The terms used to describe Lewy body dementia (LBD) can be confusing. Doctors and researchers may use different terms to describe the same condition.
The two types of LBD are:
- Dementia with Lewy Bodies, in which cognitive (thinking) symptoms appear within a year of movement problems
- Parkinson’s disease dementia, in which cognitive symptoms develop more than a year after the onset of movement problems
As LBD progresses, symptoms of both types of LBD are very similar.
Next month, we will discuss common symptoms and risk factors for this disease.
Reflections is a new Alzheimer’s and Dementia Specialty Care facility located at 401 N. Park Ave. in Chatham. For more information about this unique memory care community, please contact the Reflections Executive Director, Patrick Lam at 217-508-8527.
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