Lewy body dementia vs. Parkinson's disease (Memory Care Tips)

Discover the surprising differences between Lewy body dementia and Parkinson’s disease in our memory care tips blog post.

Step	Action	Novel Insight	Risk Factors
1	Understand the difference between Lewy body dementia and Parkinson’s disease.	Lewy body dementia is a type of dementia that shares symptoms with Parkinson’s disease, but also includes cognitive decline and visual hallucinations. Parkinson’s disease primarily affects movement symptoms due to dopamine deficiency.	Age, genetics, head injuries, exposure to toxins
2	Recognize the motor impairment and Parkinsonian features of Parkinson’s disease.	Parkinson’s disease is characterized by tremors, rigidity, and bradykinesia. It can also cause postural instability and gait problems.	Age, genetics, head injuries, exposure to toxins
3	Identify the cognitive decline and visual hallucinations of Lewy body dementia.	Lewy body dementia can cause memory loss, confusion, and difficulty with problem-solving. It can also cause visual hallucinations and REM sleep behavior disorder.	Age, genetics, head injuries, exposure to toxins
4	Understand the role of Lewy body proteins in Lewy body dementia.	Lewy body proteins are abnormal deposits of alpha-synuclein in the brain that can cause damage to nerve cells. These proteins are also found in Parkinson’s disease, but in different areas of the brain.	Age, genetics, head injuries, exposure to toxins
5	Be aware of the overlap between Lewy body dementia and Parkinson’s disease.	Some people with Parkinson’s disease may develop Lewy body dementia, and some people with Lewy body dementia may have Parkinsonian features. It can be difficult to distinguish between the two conditions, and a diagnosis may change over time.	Age, genetics, head injuries, exposure to toxins

Note: It is important to consult with a healthcare professional for a proper diagnosis and treatment plan.

Contents

What is cognitive decline and how does it differ in Lewy body dementia and Parkinson’s disease?
What role does dopamine deficiency play in the development of Lewy body dementia and Parkinson’s disease?
What are visual hallucinations, and why are they more common in individuals with Lewy body dementia than those with Parkinson’s disease?
What are the implications of the presence of Lewy body proteins for individuals diagnosed with either condition?
What distinguishes Dementia with Lewy bodies from other forms of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s or Huntington’s Disease?
Common Mistakes And Misconceptions

What is cognitive decline and how does it differ in Lewy body dementia and Parkinson’s disease?

Step	Action	Novel Insight	Risk Factors
1	Define cognitive decline	Cognitive decline refers to the gradual loss of cognitive abilities such as memory, attention, and executive function.	Age, genetics, lifestyle factors such as smoking and poor diet, and underlying medical conditions such as hypertension and diabetes.
2	Explain cognitive decline in Lewy body dementia	Cognitive decline in Lewy body dementia is characterized by fluctuating cognition, visual hallucinations, and REM sleep behavior disorder.	The presence of alpha-synuclein protein in the brain, dopamine deficiency, and neurotransmitter imbalances.
3	Explain cognitive decline in Parkinson’s disease	Cognitive decline in Parkinson’s disease is characterized by slowed thinking, impaired judgment, and motor impairment.	The loss of dopamine-producing cells in the brain and the presence of Lewy bodies.
4	Compare cognitive decline in Lewy body dementia and Parkinson’s disease	While both conditions involve cognitive decline, Lewy body dementia is more likely to cause visual hallucinations, fluctuating cognition, and REM sleep behavior disorder, while Parkinson’s disease is more likely to cause slowed thinking, impaired judgment, and motor impairment.	Age, genetics, lifestyle factors such as smoking and poor diet, and underlying medical conditions such as hypertension and diabetes.

What role does dopamine deficiency play in the development of Lewy body dementia and Parkinson’s disease?

Step	Action	Novel Insight	Risk Factors
1	Understand the role of dopamine in the brain	Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that plays a crucial role in regulating movement, motivation, and reward	None
2	Recognize the connection between dopamine deficiency and neurodegenerative disorders	Dopaminergic neuron loss is a hallmark of both Lewy body dementia and Parkinson’s disease	Age, genetics, environmental factors
3	Understand how Lewy body formation and abnormal protein accumulation contribute to dopamine deficiency	Lewy bodies are abnormal protein deposits that accumulate in the brain, leading to nerve cell dysfunctionality and brain cell death	None
4	Recognize the impact of dopamine deficiency on motor symptoms and cognitive decline onset	Impaired muscle control and movement disorder development are common symptoms of both Lewy body dementia and Parkinson’s disease, while cognitive decline onset is a hallmark of dementia with Lewy bodies	None
5	Understand the importance of early detection and treatment of dopamine deficiency in neurodegenerative disorders	Early intervention can help slow Parkinson’s disease progression and improve quality of life for those with Lewy body dementia	None

What are visual hallucinations, and why are they more common in individuals with Lewy body dementia than those with Parkinson’s disease?

Step	Action	Novel Insight	Risk Factors
1	Define visual hallucinations as the perception of objects or people that are not present in reality.	Visual hallucinations are a common symptom of Lewy body dementia, affecting up to 80% of patients.	Individuals with Lewy body dementia are at a higher risk of developing visual hallucinations than those with Parkinson’s disease.
2	Explain that Lewy body dementia is characterized by alpha-synuclein pathology, which affects neurotransmitter function and leads to brainstem involvement.	Alpha-synuclein pathology in Lewy body dementia causes dopamine depletion and cholinergic deficits, which can lead to visual hallucinations.	Parkinson’s disease primarily affects the motor system and does not involve the same level of neurotransmitter dysfunction as Lewy body dementia.
3	Describe how Lewy body dementia also involves cortical atrophy and frontal lobe dysfunction, which can contribute to sensory misperception and impaired visual processing.	Cortical atrophy and frontal lobe dysfunction in Lewy body dementia can cause individuals to misinterpret sensory information, leading to visual hallucinations.	REM sleep behavior disorder and temporal lobe hyperactivity are also risk factors for visual hallucinations in Lewy body dementia.
4	Mention that individuals with Lewy body dementia may also experience delusions and paranoia, which can exacerbate visual hallucinations.	Delusions and paranoia in Lewy body dementia can cause individuals to interpret visual hallucinations as threatening or dangerous.	Auditory hallucinations may also occur in individuals with Lewy body dementia, but are less common than visual hallucinations.

What are the implications of the presence of Lewy body proteins for individuals diagnosed with either condition?

Step	Action	Novel Insight	Risk Factors
1	Individuals diagnosed with Lewy body dementia or Parkinson’s disease may experience motor symptoms such as tremors, stiffness, and difficulty with movement.	Motor symptoms are a common feature of both Lewy body dementia and Parkinson’s disease.	Motor symptoms can lead to falls and injuries, which can further impact an individual‘s quality of life.
2	Individuals with Lewy body dementia may experience visual hallucinations, sleep disturbances, and fluctuating attention span.	Lewy body dementia is characterized by a range of symptoms beyond motor symptoms, including visual hallucinations, sleep disturbances, and fluctuating attention span.	These symptoms can be distressing for both the individual and their caregivers, and may impact an individual’s ability to perform daily activities.
3	Individuals with Parkinson’s disease may experience autonomic dysfunction, such as changes in blood pressure and digestion.	Parkinson’s disease can also impact autonomic functions, which can lead to changes in blood pressure, digestion, and other bodily functions.	Autonomic dysfunction can impact an individual’s overall health and well-being, and may require additional medical management.
4	Lewy body proteins can be present in both Lewy body dementia and Parkinson’s disease, and can impact medication sensitivity.	The presence of Lewy body proteins can impact an individual’s sensitivity to certain medications, including those used to treat motor symptoms.	This can increase the risk of adverse reactions and may require careful monitoring by healthcare providers.
5	Misdiagnosis is a risk for individuals with Lewy body dementia or Parkinson’s disease, as symptoms can overlap with other conditions.	Both Lewy body dementia and Parkinson’s disease can be misdiagnosed, as symptoms can overlap with other conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease or multiple system atrophy.	Misdiagnosis can delay appropriate treatment and management, and may impact an individual’s overall prognosis.
6	Lewy body dementia can be diagnosed as either dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) or Parkinson’s disease dementia (PDD), depending on the timing of cognitive symptoms.	Lewy body dementia can be diagnosed as either DLB or PDD, depending on whether cognitive symptoms appear before or after motor symptoms.	This distinction can impact treatment and management decisions, as well as an individual’s overall prognosis.
7	Lewy body proteins can impact neurotransmitter imbalances, which can contribute to progressive deterioration.	The presence of Lewy body proteins can impact neurotransmitter imbalances, which can contribute to progressive deterioration of cognitive and motor functions.	This can lead to a decline in an individual’s overall quality of life, and may require additional medical management and support.
8	Caregiver burden can be significant for individuals with Lewy body dementia or Parkinson’s disease, as symptoms can be challenging to manage.	Caregivers of individuals with Lewy body dementia or Parkinson’s disease may experience significant burden, as symptoms can be challenging to manage and may require ongoing support.	Caregiver burden can impact the mental and physical health of caregivers, and may require additional resources and support.

What distinguishes Dementia with Lewy bodies from other forms of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s or Huntington’s Disease?

Step	Action	Novel Insight	Risk Factors
1	Compare cognitive symptoms	Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) is characterized by cognitive fluctuations, which means that the person’s attention, alertness, and cognitive abilities can vary widely throughout the day.	Misdiagnosis risk: DLB is often misdiagnosed as Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease due to overlapping symptoms.
2	Examine motor symptoms	DLB shares Parkinsonism symptoms with Parkinson’s disease, such as tremors, stiffness, and slow movements. However, DLB also has rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder, which causes people to act out their dreams during sleep.	Treatment challenges: DLB patients may experience adverse reactions to medications used to treat Parkinson’s disease.
3	Analyze brain changes	DLB is associated with cholinergic deficits and neurotransmitter imbalances, particularly dopamine depletion. Additionally, DLB patients may have cortical atrophy, hippocampal sclerosis, and frontotemporal dementia overlap.	Rapid progression: DLB can progress more quickly than Alzheimer’s disease, leading to a shorter life expectancy.
4	Consider hallucinations	Visual hallucinations are a hallmark of DLB and can occur early in the disease.	Neuroleptic sensitivity: DLB patients may have adverse reactions to antipsychotic medications commonly used to treat hallucinations.

Common Mistakes And Misconceptions

Mistake/Misconception	Correct Viewpoint
Lewy body dementia and Parkinson’s disease are the same thing.	While both conditions share some similarities, they are distinct disorders with different symptoms and progression patterns. Lewy body dementia is characterized by cognitive decline, visual hallucinations, and fluctuating alertness, while Parkinson’s primarily affects movement control.
Memory loss is a defining symptom of both conditions.	While memory impairment can occur in both Lewy body dementia and Parkinson’s disease, it is not always present or prominent in either disorder. Other symptoms such as motor dysfunction (in Parkinson’s) or visual hallucinations (in Lewy body dementia) may be more noticeable early on.
There is no effective treatment for either condition.	While there is currently no cure for either disorder, there are medications that can help manage symptoms and improve quality of life for patients with Lewy body dementia or Parkinson’s disease. Additionally, lifestyle changes such as exercise and healthy eating habits may also be beneficial in slowing disease progression and improving overall health outcomes.
Only older adults can develop these conditions.	Although age is a risk factor for developing both disorders, younger individuals can also be affected by them – particularly those with genetic predispositions to neurodegenerative diseases.

Lewy body dementia vs. Parkinson’s disease (Memory Care Tips)