Lewy Body Dementia Could Be Misdiagnosed

With over one hundred causes of dementia the most familiar are considered the "big four." They are Alzheimer's disease, Lewy body dementia, Front temporal dementia, and Vascular dementia. Alzheimer's is the most well known and usually affects people in their 70's and 80's. The other three mentioned affect people in their 50's, 60's and early 70's.

Although the exact cause of these forms of dementia remain somewhat a mystery, they all appear to involve faulty production or management of proteins in the brain.

Symptoms of dementia are, the loss of the ability to solve problems and maintain emotional control, personality changes and behavioral problems such as agitation, delusions, and hallucinations.

Dr. Lewy, for whom the disease is named, identified a protein known as alpha-synuclein that has been linked to Parkinson's disease and several other disorders. Lewy body dementia (LBD) is one of the most common types of progressive dementia. There is no known cure and patients with LBD live an average of 7 years after symptoms are diagnosed.

The symptoms of LBD are similar to Alzheimer's in many ways, including memory impairment and confusion. Symptoms may include visual hallucinations, anxiety, aggression, and symptoms related to Parkinson's disease including a shuffling gait and flexed posture. Other notable symptoms are blank facial expression, stiffness of movement and difficulty swallowing.

Take extreme caution when considering what medications are to be administered. "One of the most critical and distinctive clinical features is hypersensitivity to neuroleptic and antiemetic medications that affect dopaminergic and cholinergic systems. In the worst cases, a patient treated with these drugs could become catatonic, lose cognitive function and/or develop life-threatening muscle rigidity. Some commonly used drugs which should be used with great caution, if at all, for people with LBD are chlorpromazine, haloperidol, or thioridazine." (Source: Wikipedia) However, patients with LBD who develop rigidity of movement may benefit from drugs used to treat Parkinson's disease.

Because there is no known cure for LBD the patient is gradually unable to care for their own needs. It may be necessary to adapt the home environment, and daily activities to properly care for the cognitive decline of the patients ability to function alone. The home may need to be modified by moving furniture to allow easier movement about the home and offering support for the safe movement of the patient.

The physical ability of the caregiver must also be considered. Caring for a patient with declining physical and mental ability can be extremely difficult, therefore, you may need to consider using home health-care professionals.

Sources: Wikipedia

Neurology Now, an official publication of the American Academy of Neurologywww.dementiaweekly.com