The spectrum of Lewy body disease: Dementia with Lewy bodies and Parkinson’s disease dementia

Event Date: May 14, 2012

Recording | Related Resources

This event took place on May 14th, 2012. Click on the link below to watch a recording of this webinar: The spectrum of Lewy body disease: Dementia with Lewy bodies and Parkinson’s disease dementia fromCDRAKE on Vimeo.

Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) and Parkinson’s disease dementia (PDD) are neurodegenerative disorders characterized by accumulation of Lewy bodies in brain cells. Collectively, they are known as Lewy body disease (LBD). Patients may suffer from walking and coordination problems, troubles with thinking and processing information, and finally disabling behavioural changes, such as visual hallucinations. This impacts the quality of life for both patients and their families. Treatments are available to help restore the balance of neurochemical dysfunction in these disorders that help with the symptoms of the disease and improve quality of life. However, there is a need to strive towards the development of therapies that can slow down the underlying degenerative process.

Although duration of motor symptoms at the time of dementia onset helps to distinguish across the spectrum of LBD, on many occasions this information is not sufficient for diagnosis and other historical/examination features and investigations may be useful. Although cholinesterase inhibitors are the mainstay of therapy for dementia associated with LBD, intolerance is a major issue in a significant subset of patients. ‘Non-dementia’ symptoms may also be contributing to the overall cognitive decline and these should be addressed.

Check out some follow-up Q&A's

Cholinesterase Inhibitors and Lewy Body's
Depression and Lewy Body Spectrum
Progression of Dementia with Lewy Body Disease
Early Onset of Lewy Body Disease
Water Hallucinations and Lewy Body Disease
Environmental Interventions and Lewy Body Disease
 

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Related Documents:

• CDRAKE_LewyBodyDemenia_Masellis_May14_2012.pdf