Lewy Body Dementia

Lewy Body Dementia

  • Overview
  • Appointments
  • Symptoms
  • Diagnosis
  • Treatments
  • Patient Resources
  • Locations
  • Doctors

    • What is Lewy body dementia?

    Lewy body dementia (LBD) is a brain disease that impairs thinking and often mobility.  It is the third most common cause of dementia after Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and vascular dementia.  LBD accounts for up to 20% of all dementia cases in the U.S.

    What are the causes of Lewy body dementia?

    What causes LBD is unknown, but it is not usually hereditary. In LBD, cells in the brain contain abnormal protein deposits known as Lewy bodies that contain a specific protein, alpha synuclein. These affect brain signals and disrupt brain functions. Experts are still exploring factors that are associated with, or alter the risk of, LBD:

    • Loss of smell and dream enactment behavior are associated with LBD
    • Genetics variants in several genes increase the risk of LBD
    • Lifestyle: regular exercise and healthy eating may reduce risk

    Appointment Information

    For more information or to make an appointment, call 734-764-6831.

    What are the symptoms of Lewy body dementia?

    A person with LBD may experience:

    • Thinking difficulties, including trouble with reasoning and attention
    • Visual hallucinations (“seeing” people or things that are not there)
    • Significant day-to-day fluctuations in cognitive abilities and alertness
    • Stiffness and slowness of movement (parkinsonism)
    • Tremors or shaking, most commonly at rest
    • Talking or moving during dreams
    • Mood changes, including depression, agitation and anxiety

    People with LBD can also experience changes to the part of the nervous system that regulates automatic functions. These may lead to lightheadedness or fainting, and constipation, among other symptoms.

    How is Lewy body dementia diagnosed?

    LBD is often confused with AD or Parkinson’s disease (PD). Accurate diagnosis is critical because people with LBD have distinct symptoms that require different treatment strategies and may be sensitive to certain medications. A diagnosis of LBD is made after a thorough evaluation, which includes:

    • A discussion of symptoms
    • A physical exam
    • Diagnostic testing

    Blood tests, brain scans and occasionally cerebrospinal fluid analysis are also performed. No single brain scan or medical test can definitively diagnose LBD. Recently, both a skin test and a cerebrospinal fluid test have been developed to detect the Lewy body protein, alpha synuclein, but these tests are not yet widely adopted in clinical practice. The diagnosis can be confirmed after death with a brain autopsy showing Lewy bodies.

    What is the treatment for Lewy body dementia?

    LBD worsens over time and impairs the individual’s ability to live and function independently. Though there is no known cure for LBD, three types of medications may be used to treat LBD symptoms:

    • Cognitive
      • Cholinesterase inhibitors such as donepezil (Aricept®), galantamine (Razadyne), or rivastigmine (Exelon®) Movement
      • Medications used to treat people with PD such as carbidopa/levodopa (Sinemet®)
    • Sleep Disorders
      • Melatonin
    • Behavioral and Mood Changes
      • Medications for visual hallucinations and behavioral problems, such as atypical antipsychotics and antidepressants

    Patient Resources

    More information about Lewy Body dementia can be found at:

    Locations
    • Geriatric Neurology Clinic | East Ann Arbor Health & Geriatrics Center 4260 Plymouth Rd
      Level 1
      Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2700       Get Directions

    Doctors

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    Sami J Barmada, MD, PhD

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