Lewy Body Dementia and Parkinson’s disease
January 3, 2020
Lewy Body Dementia (LBD) is a spectrum of closely related, progressive brain disorders characterized by a build up of Lewy bodies (abnormal protein deposits) on the brain.
When these deposits build up on the brain stem they can disrupt dopamine production and cause parkinsonism, a clinical syndrome characterized by tremor, bradykinesia, rigidity, and postural instability.
Parkinson’s disease also causes parkinsonism, but it is caused by a loss of dopamine-producing nerve cells, not a build up of Lewy bodies in the brain stem.
Dementia with Lewy body vs. Parkinson’s disease dementia
While both LBD and PD are caused by a disruption in dopamine production and have similar symptoms, the difference is the order in which the symptoms appear.
Dementia with Lewy Body: A type of dementia that presents the motor symptoms of PD as the disease progresses. The dementia always appears first, with parkinsonism appearing as the disease progresses.
Parkinson’s disease dementia : A term used for dementia that develops after several years of living with Parkinson’s disease. Nearly all people with PD will experience parkinsonism, but not all people with Parkinson’s disease will develop dementia.
| For more information about Lewy Body Dementia visit www.lbda.org or click here to view the early differentiating symptoms between PD and LBD. |
New Lewy Body Dementia Support Group!
If you or a loved one has Lewy body dementia and is need of support and guidance, please join Charity Brumbaugh at the new Lewy body dementia support group.
Lewy Body Dementia Support Group
Milton R. Abrahams Library
9111 N 90th St.
Omaha, NE 68134
2nd Monday of every month 10:00 am-11:30 am
Charity Brumbaugh
402-206-3963
dcbrumbaugh@gmail.com