Lewy Body Dementia

Lewy Body Dementia is one of the most misdiagnosed of dementias.  It can be confused with Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease.

Major Lewy Body Dementia Symptoms include the following:

• Alzheimer-like dementia
• Mild Parkinsonism symptoms
• Hallucinations and delusions
• Intolerance to old-fashioned anti-psychotic medications (neuroleptics)

Early signs:

• Hand posturing
• Change in mobility
• Inconsistent gait

More signs:

• Fine motor problems
• Drowsiness
• Early incontinence
• Hard falls
• Confusion
• Visual hallucinations
• Nightmares
• Fluctuation in abilities
• Sundowning
• Subtle changes over time

Patients feel like it is their fault and caregivers think sufferers are lazy or doing it on purpose.  For this reason alone it is important to get Lewy Body Dementia diagnosed correctly as soon as possible.

The attached presentation is by Tanis J. Ferman, Ph.D., Neurologist/Psychiatrist, Mayo Clinic Jacksonville, FL.