A Look at Another Kind of Dementia

While Alzheimer’s disease makes up 60-80% of dementia cases, there are two other types accounting for much of the rest: vascular and Lewy Body dementias. Vascular dementia relates to sudden changes in cognitive ability, which may occur after a stroke has blocked key blood vessels to or in the brain. This article focuses on Lewy Body dementia (LBD) since it is related to Parkinson’s disease and Nebraska has the highest per capita incidence of Parkinson’s in the U.S.

Different dementias result in a specific set of cognitive and behavioral changes. Related medications for easing symptoms vary in both effectiveness and severity of side effects. The more you know, the better equipped you are to positively affect quality of life for the person with dementia.

Lewy Body Dementia basics

LBD is a brain disorder affecting around 1.3 million Americans. Lewy bodies are abnormal deposits of a protein (alpha-synuclein) which cause changes in chemicals in the brain, in turn leading to problems with cognition, movement, mood and behavior. LBD has 2 types, dementia with Lewy bodies (DwLB), and Parkinson’s disease dementia (PDD). The key divide is the timing of the appearance of movement disorders.

With DwLB, cognitive problems appear first, often a year prior to movement difficulties. Early on, a person’s decline in cognitive ability may make the disease look like Alzheimer’s, but later, when movement and other symptoms appear, a doctor is better able to diagnose DwLB.

Symptoms:

It’s not considered a genetic disease and there is currently no cure.

Some LBD symptoms can be treated. Primary care physicians most often refer patients to a neurologist for optimal disease and medication management. Of course, Parkinson’s disease medications are used when it is present, but some PD treatments, like deep brain stimulation, cannot be used when LBD is present.

For every dementia, a heart-healthy diet and exercise support the best quality of life and may slow progression of the disease. Find a physician you like and can partner with to help you and your family safely manage mood, behavior and movement changes. Call on resources of family, friends, professional caregivers, and support groups. Learn all you can about the disease and its progression so you can plan ahead and live fully.

reposted from Journal Star