is lewy body dementia a disease?
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Lewy body dementia (LBD) is a disease associated with abnormal deposits of a protein called alpha-synuclein in the brain. These deposits, called Lewy bodies, affect chemicals in the brain whose changes, in turn, can lead to problems with thinking, movement, behavior, and mood.
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Regardless of the initial symptom, over time all three presentations of LBD will develop very similar cognitive, physical, sleep and behavioral features, all caused by the presence of Lewy bodies throughout the brain. Vascular dementia is caused by a series of small strokes that deprive the brain of vital oxygen.
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When dementia with Lewy bodies is caused by SNCA or SNCB gene mutations, it is inherited in an autosomal dominant pattern, which means one copy of the altered gene in each cell is sufficient to cause the disorder. In these cases, an affected person usually has one parent with the condition.
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Lewy body dementia is a progressive disease, meaning symptoms start slowly and worsen over time. The disease lasts an average of 5 to 8 years from the time of diagnosis to death, but the time span can range from 2 to 20 years.
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Is dementia a mental illness? No, it is a condition of the brain. Our brain is our control centre and it controls everything we do and say and think. When the brain is sick we have problems with all our actions, including remembering, speaking, understanding and learning new skills.
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Behaviour is communication. Whether it's good, bad or indifferent, it is a clear expression of our feelings and needs. People with dementia frequently lose the ability to speak as the disease progresses. However, they continue to communicate in other ways – through body language, gestures and facial expressions.
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At the level of the brain, Parkinson's dementia is thought to be related to Lewy bodies (sticky clumps of protein found in nerve cells of people with Parkinson's). Most people with Parkinson's develop dementia as a progression of their Parkinson's disease, rather than having both Parkinson's and Alzheimer's.
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["Alzheimer's Disease. This is the most common type of dementia. ... ", 'Lewy Body Dementia (or Dementia with Lewy Bodies). Lewy Body Dementia is another very common, yet frequently misdiagnosed, or undiagnosed type of dementia. ... ', 'Vascular Dementia. ... ', 'Fronto Temporal Dementia.']
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Alzheimer's disease has clumps of two main proteins: beta-amyloid and tau. Clumps of beta-amyloid are called plaques, and tau clumps are called tangles. Parkinson's disease has Lewy bodies in key areas of the brain that control movement; Lewy bodies are composed of the protein alpha-synuclein.
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In the later stages of Parkinson's disease, many some people will experience cognitive changes, sometimes leading to dementia. Along with these cognitive impairments, some people can exhibit reactive behaviours, usually involving anxiety, anger, and aggression.
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About 10% of Lewy body dementia cases appear to be tied to heredity, where the person inherits the disease from a parent. When someone has had Lewy body dementia or Parkinson's disease, his or her family members have a higher risk of developing Lewy body dementia.
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Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) causes problems with mental abilities and a number of other difficulties. The symptoms tend to come on gradually and get slowly worse over several years, although treatment can help.
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Dementia is categorised as a Neurocognitive Disorder (NCD) in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5).
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Dementia is a group of symptoms that affects mental cognitive tasks such as memory and reasoning. Dementia is an umbrella term that Alzheimer's disease can fall under. It can occur due to a variety of conditions, the most common of which is Alzheimer's disease. People can have more than one type of dementia.
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While dementia does affect mental health, it is not a mental illness, but a disorder of the brain that causes memory loss and trouble with communicating. Proper diagnosis of mental illness or dementia in the elderly is vital in order ensure that appropriate treatment is provided as soon as possible.
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Cardiovascular disease - and therefore vascular dementia - is linked to high blood pressure, high cholesterol and being overweight in mid-life. Someone can reduce their risk of developing these by having regular check-ups (over the age of 40), by not smoking, and by keeping physically active.
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Parkinson's disease (PD) is a movement disorder that afflicts over one million in the U.S.; amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease) is less prevalent but also has a high incidence. The two disorders sometimes present together, making a comparative study of interest.