A neurodegenerative disease taking on characteristics of Alzheimer's Disease (AD) and Parkinson's Disease (PD).

The progression rate, on the average is 5 to 7 years from diagnosis.

There is no known cause or cure, but there are medications available to prolong the progression of the disease, treating some of the symptoms.

There is an increased sensitivity to neuroleptic medications, mainly the antipsychotics and mainly the older ones that have been around a while. For example, Haldol is known to cause life-threatening effects in a LBD patient. Even the newer 'atypical' ones may or may not work in any given patient. Ativan, a CNS depressant is also know to cause serious problems in LBD patients.


Some of the symptoms could be, but not always, are:

Memory loss,
Hallucinations, Delusions, Illusions,
Fluctuating Cognition,
Neuroleptic drug sensitivity,
Depth perception problems,
Stooped forward posture, drooling, runny nose, stiffness and rigidity,
Parkinson's mask (blank stare, emotionless look on face),
Frequent falls,
Depression,
Rapid Eye Movement sleep disorder,
Aspiration pnuemonia,
Aggression, (sometimes caused by a UTI, sometimes wrong medications,
sometimes the progression of the disease)

. . .and the list goes on and on.

Many of the symptoms fluctuate as often as moment-to-moment, hour-to-hour or day-to-day.

Back to Lewy Directory

Back To Other Dementia Directories