Every year, a great many American seniors are told they have Parkinson’s disease, however they do not. For a number of these people, the true diagnosis is a similar but not as well-known disease: dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB).
Lewy body dementia impacts up to 1.4 million Americans, according to the Lewy Body Dementia Association (LBDA). That approximation may very well be too low since a number of people who’ve been incorrectly identified as having Parkinson’s, still have not received a correct diagnosis.
Both dementia with Lewy bodies and Parkinson’s disease dementia (PDD) are considered Lewy body dementias, but there are important differences. The simplest way to differentiate between the two is in the “one-year rule” associated with cognitive symptoms. Persons with Parkinson’s disease generally do not experience cognitive issues until at least a year after mobility symptoms begin. DLB is the opposite, with cognitive symptoms recognized around a year prior to movement issues.
Below are the symptoms you should be aware of, as reported by the LBDA:
• Intensifying dementia – Growing confusion and reduced attention and executive function are typical. Memory impairment might not be obvious in the early stages.
• Reoccurring visual hallucinations – These are typically complicated and elaborate.
• Hallucinations of other senses – Touch or hearing are probably the most typical.
• REM sleep behavior disorder – this may show up decades ahead of the onset of dementia and Parkinson’s.
• Repeated falls and fainting – Includes unexplained loss in consciousness.
• Other psychiatric disruptions – Most of these differ from patient to patient.
Is a correct diagnosis actually so important? Diagnosing DLB swiftly and accurately may well mean the difference between life and death, according to Howard I. Hurtig, M.D., Chair, Department of Neurology, Pennsylvania Hospital and Elliott Professor of Neurology. Improperly treating DLB with Parkinson’s medications can not only set off serious adverse side effects, but can even worsen symptoms and preclude accurate symptom management.
Learn more about the differences between Parkinson’s and dementia with Lewy bodies from ScienceDaily.
Compassionate Care Home Health Services delivers high-quality home care and dementia care in Saginaw, MI and the surrounding communities. Contact us at 877.308.1212 to schedule a home care assessment or to find out about how we can help your loved one with dementia or Parkinson’s.