Lewy body disorders are a group of diseases characterized by the presence of Lewy bodies in brain cells. Lewy body disorders include:
- Parkinson’s disease
- Parkinson’s disease with dementia (PDD)
- Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB)
- Multiple system atrophy (MSA).
In 2006, a group of experts met to consider the similarities between PDD and DLB. They agreed that the symptoms of PDD and DLB are essentially the same, and that both should be considered Lewy body dementias. They decided that if physical symptoms develop a year or more before dementia, a diagnosis of PDD is appropriate. If physical symptoms develop at the same time as or after dementia, then a diagnosis of DLB can be used.
Learn More:
Tangled Neuron Posts and Pages:
Lewy Body Dementias and Sensitivity to Medicines
Lewy Body Dementia: One Couple's Story
Lewy Body Dementia: Hard to Diagnose
Lewy Body Dementia: The Importance of the Right Diagnosis
Alzheimer's or Lewy Body Dementia? (Part 1 of 3)
Alzheimer's or Lewy Body Dementia? (Part 2 of 3)
Alzheimer's or Lewy Body Dementia? (Part 3 of 3)
Other Sources:
Information about DLB from the U.S. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
