Dementia with Lewy Bodies | Why is that?
How is it similar or different to other types of dementia?
People with Lewy body dementia show a progressive deterioration of memory and thought and language difficulties and this seems to Alzheimer’s. However, it is possible that the alertness and the ability to know and associate concepts fluctuate, ie to improve and get worse from one moment to another or times during the day, which does not occur with Alzheimer’s.
Also, the onset of the disease, patients with this type of dementia experience visual hallucinations and delusions, which distinguishes it from other types of dementia. On the other hand, those with dementia with Lewy bodies have symptoms similar to Parkinson’s sufferers because they have problems of mobility and balance. This is because the same brain structures are affected in Parkinson’s disease and dementia with Lewy bodies.
Why is that?
The cause of this type of dementia is due to the accumulation of proteins (Lewy bodies) that disrupt the normal function of brain cells and cause them to die. So far, no one knows what causes the accumulation of these proteins. The risk of disease increases if an immediate family member had it, however, can also lodges in people with no family history. It is usually more prevalent in men than in women and can occur in combination with Alzheimer’s and/or Parkinson’s disease.