Lewy Body Dementia
What Are The Causes & Risk Factors?
Lewy body dementia is caused by abnormal deposits of protein (Lewy bodies) in different brain regions, as well as the tangles and plaques seen in Alzheimer’s. This protein is also seen in Parkinson’s disease dementia. Scientists are still not sure what specifically causes dementia with Lewy bodies. Some risk factors include:
- Increasing age. Risk increases after 60.
- Sex. More men have the disease than women.
- Family History. Risk increases if there are family members with Lewy body dementia and Parkinson’s disease. However, most people with a diagnosis have no family history of Lewy body dementia.
- Diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease or REM sleep behavior disorder.
What Are The Symptoms?
Memory
- Memory problems (but less prominent than Alzheimer’s)
Personality & Behavior
- Seeing things that aren’t there (hallucinations)
- Believing something that isn’t true (delusions)
- Misidentifying familiar people
- Changing cognition that resembles delirium
- Disorganized speech
Judgment & Decision Making
- Changes in thinking and reasoning
Task Performance
- Difficulty with attention and alertness
- Difficulty interpreting visual information
- Trouble planning tasks
- Difficulty processing information
Other
- Tremors
- Rigid muscles
- Mobility changes, like slow movement, shuffling, trouble walking
- Confusion
- Sleep difficulties and/or REM sleep disorder
- Problems with automatic body functions, like blood pressure, digestion
Important Note
People may not experience every symptom. These symptoms may not mean a person has Lewy body dementia. It’s important to rule out other causes by talking to a doctor.
What Can You Expect?
- Lewy body dementia is progressive.
- Both physical and cognitive symptoms get worse over time.
- There is higher risk for falls and injury due to movement issues.
- Some medications may make other symptoms of Lewy body dementia worse.
- It may be important to prioritize symptom treatment depending on their severity.
What Treatments Are Available?
There is currently no cure for Lewy body dementia, and there are no treatments available to stop or slow disease progression. Treatment is focused on addressing symptoms, which may include:
- Medications. These may be prescribed to treat Lewy body dementia symptoms, like behaviors or hallucinations, Parkinson’s symptoms, or sleep disorders. Some medications used to treat Alzheimer’s may be prescribed to improve alertness and cognition. Talk to a healthcare provider about whether medications would be appropriate.
- Therapies. Physical therapy, speech therapy, and occupational therapy can help people with Lewy body dementia cope with the physical symptoms and engage in important activities. Music or art therapy may help with anxiety and improve well-being.
