Lewy Lewy, oh no. You gotta go.Aye-yi-yi-yi, I said. Lewy Lewy.........

[Jerebet]

In 1912, while Frederick Lewy was examining the brains of people with Parkinson's disease, he discovered microscopic protein deposits in deteriorating nerve cells in the mid-brain region. These became known as Lewy bodies. Since that time, the presence of Lewy bodies in the mid-brain has been recognized as a hallmark of Parkinson's disease

Lewy body dementia signs and symptoms may include:

> Visual hallucinations. Seeing colors, shapes, animals or people that aren't there may be one of the first symptoms of Lewy body dementia.

>Movement disorders. Parkinson's-like signs may include slowed movement, rigid muscles, tremors or a shuffling walk.

>Delusions. These may consist of false ideas about another person or situation.

>Cognitive problems. Alzheimer's-like problems may include confusion, memory loss and a reduced attention span.

>Sleep difficulties. A sleep disorder can cause you to physically act out your dreams while you're asleep.

>Fluctuating attention. This may include frequent episodes of drowsiness, long periods of staring into space, lethargy or disorganized speech.

Not all Parkinson's suffers have Lewy Disease but researchers believe that between 40 to 70 percent experience this debilitating condition. Those affected, are typically older patients with PD, age 60 and over. Parkinson's sufferers with Lewy body disease have cognitive problems (problems with thinking, memory, language, etc.) similar to those that occur in Alzheimer's disease.

Some Researchers think there are three distinguishing features and that the presence of two of them makes the diagnosis of Lewy body disease probable:

1. Motor problems typical of Parkinson's disease but usually not so severe as to warrant a diagnosis of Parkinson's. Of these problems, an impairment in walking (a shuffling gait) might be the most common one. Also common would be muscle stiffness and a tendency to fall. Tremor would be less common.

2.Fluctuations in cognitive function with varying levels of alertness and attention. Periods of being alert and coherent alternate with periods of being confused and unresponsive to questions.

3.Visual hallucinations, usually occurring early on. Delusions may be common too.

Medications

Cholinesterase inhibitors. These Alzheimer's disease medications work by increasing the levels of neurotransmitters — chemical messengers believed to be important for memory, thought and judgment — in the brain. This can help improve alertness and cognition, and may help reduce hallucinations and other behavioral problems. Possible side effects may include gastrointestinal upset, excessive salivation and tearing and frequent urination.

Parkinson's disease medications. These medications can help reduce Parkinson's-like muscular symptoms in some people with Lewy body dementia, but they can also cause increased confusion, hallucinations and delusions.

Antipsychotic medications. These medications may somewhat improve delusions and hallucinations. However, at least a third of the people who have Lewy body dementia have a dangerous sensitivity to some of these types of drugs. Reactions, which are sometimes irreversible, can include severe Parkinson's-like symptoms and a worsening of confusion.

I thank my God of choice that I am not in the 40 to 70 % of PWPs that have this condition....Yet.......but I'm not over 60 and who knows what will happen then? For me; this is the scariest possibility. I can deal with rigidity, shaking and pain but the loss of my mind is something that I find unfathomable. Are you facing Lewy Body Disease?

[hilarypeta]

I think it is dangerous to look at worse case scenarios-best to be ignorant and just research your own present symptoms to relieve/cure.

'accentuate the positive' 'dont worry be happy' EFT helps....have fun..

[shasha]

i am most interested to read tis lewy body article - as i dont have a tremor but i do have stfness and i faLL ALL OVER THE PLACE- so what should i do - if i speak to my neuro - he is french - what will he do or think ? oh well i onkly have to wait until the 12th to see him again so maybe i will try and communicate to him what i have read .. thanks for the interesting article

[move4parkinsons]

When I was first diagnosed I did a lot of research and got very frightened.Today I see things differently each one of us is on a journey and I have taken ownership of my own dis ease I have no idea where the destination is but I do know that if I stay positive and research areas that will support me I manage my quality of life very well.My Mum has shown me how she had a stroke 10 years ago we did not know if she would survive she is paralysed on her left side and needs 24 hour care .THe hospital she was in told us she would be in a nursing home for the rest of her life.My MUm to this day lives in her own home has learnt to walk again albeit slowly and with a tripod she is an inspiration ,she is 83 has an I pad and is on Facebook ! So I take huge courage from her for me staying positive is so important .With all information I read I take what I like and leave the rest thank you for taking the time to write this piece

[JonStamford]

This is an interesting post on but also one that I'm concerned may raise more fears than it allays. Lewy bodies are certainly present in higher proportion of patients with dementia. What is unclear about Lewy bodies is whether they represent a marker of the severity of the illness or our own index of the body''s response -- in other words how effectively it is combating the degenerative process.

I would say however that many of the symptoms described as characteristic of Lewy body dementia are quite general. If like me, you have only to read the side effects listed with any medicine in order to experience them, this list may be unsettling. Moreover, the course of Parkinson's is of course variable. The presence of Lewy bodies does not automatically mean a fast track to dementia. It may not mean a track to dementia at all.

A major problem too is that Lewy body dementia is often misdiagnosed as Parkinson's. Many feel it is a distinct condition.

One final point. Lewy bodies also occur in other conditions. And they are present in a proportion of the general population who do not have Parkinson's. A 2009 study from the University of Kentucky found that more than 20% of aged patients (average age 85) had Lewy body pathology even though they were all normal in cognitive tests.

We should probably be a little circumspect over the role of Lewy bodies.

[shasha in reply to JonStamford]

thanks Jon for the realistic talk - you always make sense