Lewybody dementia (Lewy body disease)

Lewy body disease (Lewybodydemens) is caused by the storage of a small protein, known as Lewy bodies, in the brain and is the third most common disease leading to dementia. About 10-15% of all cases are caused by this disease. In Lewy body disease, it becomes difficult with numbers, time perception, and taking the right body position like getting right on a chair. That's because spatial perception, visuospatial ability is affected. Other symptoms of Lewy body disease may include fluctuating wakefulness, visual hallucinations or "wild," anxious dreams. Since lewy bodies often sit in a central area of the brain (basal ganglia) that controls our mobility and automatic functions such as blood pressure and swallowing ability, one can also have difficulties with it.


Parkinson’s disease is a lot like Lewy body disease; the difference is that this disease debuts with motoric difficulties rather than cognitive impairments. As the disease progresses, they do become very similar. The motoric symptoms which the sick person demonstrates are usually called “parkinsonism,” e.g., stiffness, impaired ability to make facial expressions, and difficulties starting to walk. You’re usually aware of the symptoms for a long time. Memory impairment may arise late in the progression.

Johan Sundelöf, Senior Physician, Specialist in Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine
Reviewed by: Johan Sundelöf, Senior Physician, Specialist in Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine
Updated: January 22, 2021
Published: 15 December, 2020

What is dementia?How common is dementia?Diseases of the brainAlzheimer's diseaseVascular dementiaLewy body dementiaFrontotemporal dementiaParkinson's diseaseAlcohol-induced dementia and Wernicke-Korsakoff syndromeNormal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH)Rare dementia diseasesHeredity

Brain diseases

Alzheimer's disease

Vascular dementia

Lewy body dementia

Frontotemporal dementia

Parkinson's disease

Alcohol-induced dementia and Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome

Normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH)

Rare dementias

Heredity

Treatment

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