THE ESSENTIAL
- In France, around 250,000 people are affected by Lewy body disease, a neurodegenerative pathology that affects cognitive functions and movement.
- There are seven main symptoms of this condition.
- Lewy body disease is currently incurable.
According to France Alzheimer, nearly 250,000 French people suffer from Lewy body disease. Also known as dementia with Lewy bodies, this neurodegenerative condition is caused by abnormal deposits of the protein alpha-synuclein that form inside brain cells. It generally appears after the age of 50.
The main symptoms of Lewy disease
The Federation for Brain Research (FRC) explains that Lewy disease primarily affects parts of the brain related to cognitive functions and movement. “The term dementia describes a state of deterioration of intellectual faculties which ultimately leads to a loss of autonomy. In certain respects, dementia with Lewy bodies is similar to Alzheimer’s disease or Parkinson’s disease. It is distinguished by a usually more rapid evolution and by the marked deterioration of mental faculties. Like other neurodegenerative dementias, it mainly affects elderly people.specifies the organization.
There are seven main symptoms caused by Lewy body dementia:
- cognitive disorders, which can be characterized by an impairment of memory, intellectual faculties, as well as attention disorders, a progressive loss of visual and spatial perception and difficulties in reasoning;
- motor disorders, which are associated with stiffness, motor slowing and falls;
- the dichotomy, which manifests itself by a variation in vital functions, in particular heart rate. This sign can sometimes lead to loss of consciousness in patients;
- fluctuations, which cause shifts from a normal and lucid state to a dependent and deteriorated state;
- visual or auditory hallucinations;
- psychiatric manifestations, which can take the form of depression;
- sleep disorders, which result in nightmares and nighttime restlessness.
What are the treatments for dementia with Lewy bodies?
Today, Lewy body disease is incurable. “The treatment of dementia with Lewy bodies is symptomatic, that is, it is limited to managing the symptoms, in particular hallucinations, extrapyramidal syndrome and cognitive deficit”specifies the Federation for Brain Research. This treatment only helps slow the progression of the disease.
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