Lewy body dementia
Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), also known as Lewy body dementia, is a commontype of dementia estimated toaffectmore than 100,000 people in the UK.
"Dementia" is the name for problems with mental abilities caused by gradual changes and damage in the brain.It's rare inpeople under65.
It tends to developslowly and get graduallyworse over several years.
This page covers:
People with dementia with Lewy bodies may have:
These problems can make daily activities increasingly difficult and someone with the condition may eventually be unable to look after themselves.
But this is highly variable and some people live much longer than this.
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with dementia, remember that you're not alone. The NHS and social services ,as well as voluntary organisations, can provide advice and support for you and your family.
Dementia with Lewy bodies is caused by clumps of protein forming inside brain cells. These abnormal deposits are called Lewy bodies.
These deposits are also found in people with Parkinson's disease , and they build up in areas of the brain responsible for functions such as thinking, visual perception and muscle movement.
It's not clear why the deposits develop and how exactly they damage the brain. It's thought that part of the problem is the proteins affecting the brain's normal functions by interfering with signals sent between brain cells.
Dementia with Lewy bodies usually occurs in people with no family history of the condition, although there have been very rare cases that seem to run in families.
Find out about a type of dementia called dementia with Lewy bodies, including what the symptoms are, how it's treated and what the outlook is.
Find out about the main symptoms of dementia with Lewy bodies and when to get medical advice.
Find out about the main treatments for dementia with Lewy bodies, including medication and other therapies.