Do I Have Lewy Body Dementia?

Are you a man older than 60?

Do you have a family history of Lewy body dementia or Parkinson's disease?

Do you have trouble with attention, planning, multitasking, problem solving, and reasoning?

Do you have unpredictable changes in concentration, attention, alertness, and wakefulness from day to day and sometimes throughout the day?

Do you have visual hallucinations (seeing shapes, animals or people that aren't there)?

Do you have slow movement, rigid muscles, tremor or a shuffling walk that may result in falls (parkinsonian signs)?

Do you have sleep disorders, such as talking, laughing, kicking, or waving your arms while sleeping (as if you were acting out dreams)?

Do you have episodes of drowsiness, long periods of staring into space, long naps during the day (sleeping 2 or more hours during the day)?

Do you have insomnia (difficulty in falling or staying asleep, or waking up too early)?

Do you have mood changes, such as depression, anxiety, agitation and apathy?

Do you have delusions (strongly held false beliefs or opinions not based on evidence) or paranoia (an extreme, irrational distrust of others)?

Based on your answers it is unlikely that you have Lewy body dementia. Lewy body dementia (LBD) is a common type of progressive dementia characterized by degeneration and death of nerve cells in the brain. The deposits of proteins, known as Lewy bodies are found in these nerve cells, and it is believed that it is Levi's bodies that contribute to their destruction. Lewy body dementia is more common in men than in women, and usually affects people older than 60. It is the third most common cause of dementia (following Alzheimer disease and vascular dementia). The exact cause of LBD is still unknown.

Based on your answers there is a possibility that you have Lewy body dementia (LBD). LBD is a brain disease characterized by a progressive decline in thinking, reasoning and movement abilities. The hallmark of this type of dementia is abnormal microscopic deposits in the brain cells called Lewy bodies, which over time damage the brain. LBD affects about 1.4 million Americans. The symptoms start slowly and worsen over time. The symptoms include problems with thinking ability, movement disorders, visual hallucinations, and certain sleep disorders. A diagnosis of LBD is based on physical and neurological examinations and tests to rule out other conditions that may have similar symptoms.

Based on your answers there is a high possibility that you have Lewy body dementia (LBD). LBD is a medical condition characterized by deposits of proteins in the brain called Lewy bodies, which cause changes in your brain cells. There are two types of LBD: dementia with Lewy bodies and Parkinson's disease dementia. These two types have similar symptoms, but differ from each other at the onset of the disease. Dementia with Levi's bodies begins with a decline in the ability to think, while dementia with Parkinson's disease begins as a movement disorder. There is no cure for LBD, so your doctor will treat your individual symptoms.