Lewy body dementia signs and symptoms may include:
- Visual hallucinations - You may see visual hallucinations, such as colors, shapes, animals or people that aren`t there. Hallucinations may be one of the first symptoms of Lewy body dementia. Some people also may experience sound (auditory), smell (olfactory) or touch (tactile) hallucinations.
- Movement disorders - You may experience symptoms similar to those of Parkinson`s disease (parkinsonian symptoms), such as slowed movement, rigid muscles, tremors or a shuffling walk. Poor regulations of body function. Blood pressure, pulse, sweating and digestive process are regulated by a part of the nervous system that is often affected by Lewy body dementia. This can result in dizziness, falls and bowel issues.
- Cognitive problems - You may experience thinking (cognitive) problems similar to problems experienced in Alzheimer`s disease, such as confusion, reduced attention span and eventually memory loss.
- Sleep difficulties - You may have a sleep disorder called rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder that can cause you to physically act out your dreams while you`re asleep.
- Fluctuating attention - You may have frequent episodes of drowsiness, long periods of staring into space, long naps during the day or disorganized speech.
- Depression - You may experience depression sometime during the course of your illness.
The cause of Lewy body dementia isn`t known, but the disorder may be related to Alzheimer`s or Parkinson`s disease. Lewy bodies contain a protein associated with Parkinson`s disease. Lewy bodies often are present in the brains of people with Parkinson`s disease, Alzheimer`s disease and other dementias. People who have Lewy bodies in their brains also have the plaques and tangles associated with Alzheimer`s disease.
Although the cause of Lewy body dementia isn`t clear, several factors appear to increase the risk of developing the disease. They include:
- Being older than 60
- Being male
- Having a family member with Lewy body dementia
Lewy body dementia is progressive. Signs and symptoms worsen, causing:
- Severe dementia
- Death, on average about eight years after onset of the condition