Lewy body Dementia - Medtick
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Lewy body Dementia

What is it?

When a person who has Alzheimer and/or dementia type symptoms.

  • It is caused by abnormal proteins growth in the outer layers of the brain (cerebral cortex)  which may interfere with thought and/or nerve signals (acetylcholine transmitter problems)  and/or bodily functions.

Lewy body dementia consists of two different conditions:

Parkinson’s disease dementia

  • Physical Parkinson-type symptoms changes tend to occur first then (can be some time later) cognitive changes (see below).
  • Theses changes occurs in the substantia nigra (mid part of the brain) and cerebral cortex (outer layer of the brain).

Dementia with Lewy bodies

  • See below cognitive symptoms:

Cause

  • Clumps of abnormal protein forming inside brain cells called Lewy bodies (also found in persons who have Parkinson’s disease)
  • Maybe a build up of beta-amyloid protein in the brain

Medication:

  • Regular Laxatives use in particular osmotic laxatives

Symptoms

Initial stage:

  • Confusion or sleepiness – this can change over minutes or hours?
  • Disturbed sleep, often with violent movements and shouting out?
  • Hallucinations  (seeing, hearing or smelling things that are not there)?
  • Problems with understanding, thinking, memory and judgement – this is similar to Alzheimer’s disease (although memory may be less affected in people with dementia with Lewy bodies)?
  • Slow movement, stiff limbs and tremors (uncontrollable shaking)?

www.nhs.uk

  • Fluctuations in thinking, information processing, perception, speaking, finding words, and recognizing things?
  • Finding it hard to do everyday things i.e to dress up, go down the stairs, look for things that are there in plain sight, feeding oneself?
  • ‘Wandering around lost’ even if they are familiar with their environment?
  • Difficulty in recognising objects and faces?
  • Driving difficulties i.e turn steering wheels , judge distances , changing lanes , remembering how to drive, parking?
  • Difficulty in reading, remembering, or even how to read and understand reading?
  • Bladder and/or bowel control problems?

Middle stage:

  • ‘Parkinson type’ symptoms:
    • Increased impairment of the body’s motor functions and falls?
    • Fainting spells, unsteadiness and falls?
    • Difficulty with speech?
    • Swallowing difficulties?
    • Paranoia and delusions?
    • ‘Initial stage’ of disease is also getting worst?

Later stages:

  • Extreme muscle stiffness?
  • Severe ‘Parkinson-type’ symptoms?
  • Severe ‘initial stage’ symptoms?
  • Prone to chest infections i.e. pneumonia?

Complications /Information to beware of/General tips:

This condition can lead to:

This condition can be associated with:

Driving Authority

This condition may show similar symptoms to:

Please talk to your healthcare professional (i.e. Medical Doctor/Pharmacist) for further advice

Detailed Information

Please copy and paste any key words from the title: Lewy body Dementia in the following respective 'Medtick References and/or Sources' to find out more about the disease (this also may include diagnosis tests and generic medical treatments).

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