Lewy Body Dementia (LBD)

Lewy Body Dementia (LBD) occurs in the brain and is considered one of the most common dementias. This condition is a rare disease in which doctors find hard to diagnose because it is so similar to Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. It is most commonly diagnosed to males that are over the age of sixty and or either have family members with LBD or Parkinson’s. “LBD a rare disease that affects an estimated 1.4 million in the United States” (Lbda). After this disease is diagnosed the patients do not have much time left to live. The homeostasis in this part of the brain deals with emotions, behaviors, and decision making. It also targets more of the prefrontal cortex in the brain which controls most of the cognitive functions. “Allows us to select
It is also one of the reasons why LBD disease is hard to diagnose because Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s have a similar problem with Lewy bodies in the brain. This is the only cause that researchers have found and have been able to prove. The symptoms result from the constant build of Lewy bodies in the brain. A variety of different symptoms occur such as visual hallucinations most likely being the first symptom. Movement disorders may also occur which include slowed movements, rigid muscles, tremor or shuffling walk. “There is a wide range of different symptoms which are changes such in alertness and attention, hallucinations, problems with movement and posture, muscle stiffness, confusion and loss of memory” (Medlineplus.gov). Also, some may have parkinsonian major symptoms, and depression can also be a symptom. There are also some risk factors with this disease such as being older than sixty, being male, and or having a family member with LBD or Parkinson’s. As for treatments there is only one which is taking medications for the symptoms because there is no cure for it such as cholinesterase inhibitors, Parkinson’s disease medications and others to treat symptoms