D, Dementia+ hallosination=LBD
LBD can take two forms: dementia with Lewy bodies or Parkinson’s disease dementia. The difference between them lies mainly in how the disease starts. In dementia with Lewy bodies, the person may have a memory disorder that looks like Alzheimer's but later develop movement and other distinctive problems, such as hallucinations. In Parkinson’s disease dementia, the person may initially have a movement disorder that looks like Parkinson's but later also develop dementia symptoms. Over time, though, both diagnoses will appear the same. Most people with LBD develop a similar spectrum of problems that include variations in attention and alertness, recurrent visual hallucinations, shuffling gait, tremors, and blank expression, along with various sleep disorders.
While Lewy Body Dementia can bear a striking resemblance to Alzheimer's disease or Parkinson's disease, treatment can be very different, making early recognition of the signs and symptoms key to managing the condition.
Signs and symptoms of Lewy Body Dementia
As with Alzheimer's disease or Parkinson's disease, the symptoms of Lewy Body Dementia worsen over time, with intellectual and motor functions deteriorating, typically over several years. Despite the overlaps, however, there are symptoms that indicate the disorder is indeed LBD and not another disorder.
While patients with LBD lose cognitive function,
they are less prone to the short-term memory loss associated with Alzheimer’s disease. More commonly, they experience greater problems with executive functions of planning, decision-making, and organization, as well as difficulties with visual perception, such as judging and navigating distances. This can cause them to fall frequently or become lost in familiar settings. Lewy Body Dementia can also cause sleep disturbances, including insomnia, daytime sleepiness, and REM behavior disorder, whereby they act out their dreams. Someone with Lewy Body Dementia will also exhibit at least two of three core features:
Changes or “fluctuations” in awareness and concentration. The person will swing from a state of alertness to appearing drowsy, confused, or staring into space. These episodes can be unpredictable and last anywhere from a few seconds to several hours.
Spontaneous Parkinson’s-like motor symptoms, such as slowness of movement, rigid muscles, tremor, lack of facial expression, or abnormal gait.
Recurrent visual hallucinations or delusions, such as seeing shapes, colors, people, or animals that aren't there or conversing with deceased loved ones.
It is often these extra signs and symptoms that distinguish LBD from other types of dementia. In short, if you or a loved is experiencing cognitive decline without the archetypal problems with recent memory, it may indicate that you’re dealing with Lewy Body Dementia rather than another type of dementia.
Signs of Lewy Body Dementia
Mental decline. Lewy Body patients may experience extreme swings between alertness and confusion or drowsiness, as well as reduced attention span.
Recurrent visual hallucinations or depression. Hallucinations, usually related to people or animals, occur in most LBD patients. Depression is also common.
Increasing problems handling the tasks of daily living. Tasks that used to be simple may become difficult for a person with Lewy Body Dementia.
Repeated falls and fainting.
Motor problems such as slow movement, shuffling walk, stiff limbs, or tremors.
Sleep disturbances, including insomnia and acting out dreams—physically moving limbs, sleep talking, screaming, hitting, or even getting up and engaging in daytime activities.
Fluctuations in autonomic processes. This includes blood pressure, body temperature, urinary difficulties, constipation, and difficulty swallowing.
http://www.helpguide.org/elder/lewy_body_disease.htm
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