Lewy body dementia (LBD) is a progressive neurological disorder that affects movement, thinking, and behavior. It is the third-most common form of dementia in older adults, after Alzheimer's and vascular dementia. Characterized by abnormal deposits of proteins in the nerve cells, LBD leads to mental decline and confusion.
While there are no cures for LBD, it is important to understand the different stages of the disease in order to identify early Lewy body dementia symptoms and plan treatments accordingly. The stages of LBD may vary from person to person but there are general guidelines for progression. In this article, we will discuss the general stages of LBD, including the early and late stage symptoms.
What are the Stages of Lewy Body Dementia?
Lewy body dementia is a progressive disease that follows a course over many years. The disease is characterized by the presence of Lewy bodies in the brain, which are protein deposits that develop inside nerve cells. These distinctive round deposits can be visualized with a special type of imaging called a positron emission tomography (PET) scan. The disease progresses through three stages, with different symptoms at each stage. There is no cure for LBD, but early treatment can help slow the progression of the disease.
Stages of Lewy Body Dementia
Early Stage
Early stage of Lewy body dementia is a critical point in the progression of this neurological disorder. Those who are diagnosed at this stage will benefit from more comprehensive care, as well as active involvement from family members and close friends.
At early Lewy body dementia stages, individuals may experience things like :
- Impaired decision-making
- Disorientation to time and place (time and place disorientation)
- Changes in sleep patterns (such as sleeping more or less than usual or having trouble falling asleep)
- Problems with attention and focus
- Dizziness and balance problems
- Impaired thinking
- Misplacing things often
- Difficulty concentrating
- Restless legs syndrome (a feeling that one must move one's legs)
- periodic limb movement disorder (jerking or twitching of the arms or legs during sleep)
- Changes in personality, such as becoming more irritable or aggressive.
Living with Lewy body dementia (LBD) early on can be a daunting experience for both patients and their loved ones, but it's important to understand that diagnosis does not have to mean an immediate decrease in quality of life.
In order to maintain independence and autonomy for longer periods of time, it is essential that individuals recognize LBD early on so that they receive the proper Lewy body dementia treatment and necessary support.
With proper medical attention and lifestyle changes, those living with LBD during its early stages can still lead meaningful lives while managing symptoms such as cognitive impairment and sleep disturbances.
Middle Stage of Lewy Body Dementia
In this stage of Lewy body dementia patients typically require more assistance with everyday tasks such as bathing or dressing themselves due to an impaired ability to complete these tasks themselves. Challenges with mobility may increase due to insomnia caused by night-time hallucinations or delusions that can impair sleep quality.
Lewy body dementia causes the patient to have difficulty performing complex tasks, such as following instructions or completing a financial transaction. Depression and anxiety are common among patients in this stage, who may also begin to experience hallucinations and delusions during the day.
It becomes very important to seek assistance in maintaining the ability to complete tasks of daily living, as well as ensuring that the patient remains safe. The most common symptoms of the middle stage are:
- Confusion
- Difficulty performing complex tasks
- Hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that are not there)
- Memory loss and difficulty concentrating, which can lead to trouble following a conversation or understanding what is read, etc.
- Delusions (false beliefs) and paranoia (unreasonable suspicions about others)
- Severe anxiety
- Depression and hopelessness
- Paralysis of limbs and body parts
The patient needs to be in an assisted care facility in order to get the help they need. Not taking care of your loved one will lead to more difficulties in their health. Their health might deteriorate to the point where they need constant supervision and care. Therefore, it is very important to get your loved one the help they need.
End Stage of Lewy Body Dementia
The end stage of Lewy Body Dementia is very difficult for the patient and their loved one. The person with this type of Dementia will experience muscular rigidity – their muscles are stiff and tense. This causes a lot of pain. Visual hallucinations become more frequent and intense during this stage as well. Furthermore, they even have decreased responsiveness, the patient will not be able to respond to any external stimuli.
They will not be able to follow commands or do anything that requires them to move. Not only will they not respond to their environment, they will also become mute. The patient may or may not be aware of who people are and will not know where they are or what is going on around them. They will have a very high risk of falling as well. The chances of the death of the patient during this stage of the disease is very high.
How is Lewy body dementia diagnosed
Diagnosing LBD can be difficult as it involves multiple medical tests and evaluations. The diagnosis of Lewy body dementia typically begins with a physical exam and questions about medical history, symptoms and lifestyle. The doctor may then conduct further tests such as a brain scan, neurological exam or blood test in order to rule out other conditions that could be causing similar symptoms.
Additionally, mental status tests may also be conducted in order to assess the person’s cognitive abilities, memory function or thinking skills. If the person is experiencing hallucinations or delusions, the doctor may order a brain scan to check for Lewy bodies in the brain.
Treatment Options
Treatment Options for Lewy Body Dementia (LBD) are often centered on managing symptoms. Sadly there is no cure for this dementia, managing the disease can help improve quality of life for those affected by it. Treatment involves medications along with lifestyle changes like monitoring diet and exercise that can help reduce certain symptoms like anxiety or depression.
Choosing a good dementia centre that can monitor medications, dietary changes and exercise can help prevent further decline in the person’s health is very important to ensure that your loved ones are able to stay as healthy as possible.
Jagruti Dementia Treatment centres In Chennai is one such centre that is providing excellent care to the people of Chennai. We offer a complete package for dementia treatment in Chennai. The best part about our centre is that our management team has extensive experience in dealing with dementia patients and can therefore help patients recover faster.
Furthermore, we also have dementia care homes in Mumbai and other major cities like Noida, Gurgaon and Pune. So, if you need help in finding the ideal dementia care home for your loved ones, do give us a call today. Our team will be happy to help you find the ideal facility for your loved ones.