Lewy Body Dementia

Lewy body dementia (LBD) is a type of dementia in which Lewy bodies are present in your brain. Lewy bodies are clumps of proteins that build up inside certain neurons (brain cells). They cause damage to neurons in the areas of your brain that affect mental capabilities, behavior, movement and sleep.

Lewy body dementia is a progressive disease, meaning symptoms start slowly and get worse over time.

In people over the age of 65, LBD is one of the most common causes of dementia. The symptoms of LBD may closely resemble those of other neurological conditions, including Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease.

There’s no cure for LBD, but the symptoms can be managed with certain medications. You or your loved one may also benefit from nonmedical treatments like physical therapy and speech therapy.

How is Lewy body dementia related to Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease?

Dementia with Lewy bodies and Parkinson’s disease dementia are two related clinical disorders that make up the general broader category of Lewy body dementia. Sometimes, providers first diagnose LBD as Parkinson’s disease or Alzheimer’s disease based on its symptoms.

• Parkinson’s disease dementia (PDD): Some people are diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease if they first have symptoms of a movement disorder typical to Parkinson’s. But their diagnosis is changed to PDD if dementia symptoms develop over the years.
• Alzheimer’s disease (AD): Some people who have a memory or cognitive disorder are diagnosed with AD. But other distinctive symptoms may suggest co-existing dementia with Lewy bodies. Distinctive symptoms of LBD include changes in attention, alertness and cognitive ability; movement issues; visual hallucinations; and more.

Who does Lewy body dementia affect?

Lewy body dementia (LBD) typically affects people over the age of 50. The older you are, the more at risk you are for developing the condition. Men and people assigned male at birth are more likely to have Lewy body dementia than women and people assigned female at birth.

A family history of LBD and Parkinson’s disease also increases your risk of developing it.

How common is Lewy body dementia?

Lewy body dementia is one of the most common types of progressive dementia. Researchers estimate that as many as 1.4 million people live with this condition in the United States.