One of the most apparent signs of Lewy Body Dementia is a decline in cognitive functions. This symptom most often presents itself as difficulty concentrating. The odd thing about LBD and concentration is that the person may have no trouble focusing on complex assignments.
Instead, simple tasks become very difficult to complete. The person may seem as though they stare into space multiple times a day and for minutes at a time. Along with this, they’re usually drowsy or lethargic.
As the name suggests, dementia is another symptom of LBD, but it goes beyond mental fog and distraction. It may not be noticeable at first, but it becomes more apparent as time goes on. Since it’s just part of aging, some people brush it off, but any memory loss should be investigated.
Lewy Body Dementia patients often forget words, long-practiced skills, and even family members’ names. The symptom presents itself similarly to Alzheimer’s disease. Confusion, poor attention, and visual-spatial problems often accompany memory loss.
As scary as it is, hallucinations are often the first clear symptom of Lewy Body Dementia. The hallucinations include seeing shapes, animals, and people who aren’t there. According to the Lewy Body Resource Center, 80% of people with LBD experience hallucinations early on. The illusions reoccur, as well.
This symptom isn’t just confined to sight, either. Some patients report other senses being affected, including sound, smell, and touch. Sound, smell, and touch hallucinations are much less common than visual.
Sleep disorders are extremely common in those with LBD and dementia disorders, in general. Insomnia is when someone has trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking up early. Since insomnia is such an issue, many patients also have difficulty staying awake throughout the day.
It isn’t odd for someone with LBD to take several naps during the day. They may sleep several hours during the day, mainly since sleeping at night is such a task. Establishing a routine is especially important to combat sleeping troubles.
REM sleep behavior disorders are especially difficult to handle, especially for caregivers. This symptom is when patients act out their dreams during their sleep. This can result in moving limbs during REM sleep, sleep talking, or even getting up to do whatever they may do during the day.
Some patients can get violent when acting out their dreams, resulting in them screaming or hitting those around them. While acting out their dreams, the person with LBD is at increased risk of falling, so keeping an eye on anyone with this disorder is essential.
A very common symptom of Lewy Body Dementia is tremors. These tremors affect their movement and can also exacerbate balance issues. The tremors are similar to those who have Parkinson’s. In fact, the two conditions often develop together, making it difficult for doctors to diagnose the proper illness.
To differentiate between the two, doctors pay close attention to other symptoms. When tremors are associated with mental fog or confusion, which fluctuates day-to-day, this raises a red flag for LBD. An abnormal gait and rigid muscles may also accompany tremors.
People with Lewy Body Dementia are very sensitive to certain types of medications. Antipsychotic medications are the primary concern as they can aggravate tremors and other symptoms that can make day-to-day life very difficult.
Some other medications can affect their mind by causing them to have a worse mental fog or severe hallucinations. Because of the sensitivity to medications, many doctors are hesitant to prescribe medications. It also makes treatment a slow, complicated process.
Fainting can be a sign of something serious because this disease affects the part of your brain that handles automatic jobs, such as controlling blood pressure and heart rate. Think of it like a power supply that suddenly flickers—when your blood pressure drops too quickly, your body can’t keep up, and you might pass out.
People often blame fainting on things like being tired or not drinking enough water, but it can be connected to Lewy body dementia. This symptom is important because it helps doctors understand the bigger picture and provide the right care.
Unsteadiness and muscle rigidity are common symptoms of Lewy body dementia because the disease changes how the brain controls movement. These changes can make a person feel stiff or cause them to have difficulty balancing and walking.
Sometimes, these symptoms are mistaken for other issues, such as aging or arthritis, which can delay getting the right diagnosis as well as treatment.
Constipation can happen in people with Lewy body dementia because the disease interferes with the brain's ability to regulate automatic functions.
This can result in slower bowel movements, causing discomfort and a heavy feeling. Some might think it's just a minor issue, but it’s important to notice it.
People with LBD may experience changes in how their body regulates temperature, causing them to sweat more than usual. This happens because the disease affects the part of the nervous system.
Excessive sweating may happen even when the person is not hot or physically active, which can be uncomfortable and confusing.
Heart rate variability means the heart’s rhythm doesn’t stay as steady as it should. With Lewy body dementia, the part of the brain that controls automatic functions, like managing heartbeats, can struggle to do its job.
This might make the heart’s rhythm change in unexpected ways when you exercise, relax, or stand up. It’s one way the disease can affect how the body works without you even realizing it.
Swallowing might not seem like something you think about, but it’s a process your body handles automatically. With Lewy body dementia, the areas of the brain that control this can be affected, making it harder to swallow food or drinks.
This might feel like food is moving slowly or getting stuck, which shows how the disease can interrupt even routine body functions. This symptom is also called dysphagia.
Orthostatic hypotension happens when standing up makes someone feel dizzy or lightheaded. This is because Lewy body dementia can interfere with the brain’s ability to keep blood pressure steady when you change positions.
The blood might not reach the brain as quickly as it should, causing that uncomfortable dizzy feeling. Sometimes this can also lead to other symptoms like fainting or falling.
The brain usually manages how much saliva you make without you even noticing. But with Lewy body dementia, this control can be disrupted, leading to excessive saliva, or sialorrhea.
It might feel like you’re drooling more often than usual, showing how the disease impacts automatic functions like this.
The brain plays a big role in managing when and how you go to the bathroom.
Lewy body dementia can make these signals confusing, leading to issues like not being able to hold it in (incontinence) or struggling to go at all (retention).
Anxiety is more than just feeling nervous—it can feel like a constant worry or unease that doesn’t go away.
Lewy body dementia can impact the brain’s emotional regulation, causing someone to feel anxious even when there’s no real danger. This symptom shows how the disease can change how the brain manages feelings.
With Lewy body dementia, parts of the brain that handle mood and emotions can be affected, making someone feel unusually sad or hopeless.
This isn’t just regular sadness—it’s a deeper kind that sticks around. Medications are available to treat depression, making it important to work with a doctor to find out what works best.
Lewy body dementia can make it harder for the brain to process information normally, leading to feelings of disorientation or confusion.
This might feel like not remembering where you are or how to do something familiar. Sometimes the confusion can last for minutes or even hours.
Balance isn’t something most people think about, but it relies on the brain working closely with the body. With Lewy body dementia, this connection can be impaired, making falling a much more common problem.
According to The Lewy Body Society, three to five people out of 10 will experience cognitive functions like these. It can also be an early symptom of Lewy body dementia.
Sometimes, people with Lewy body dementia experience something called "freezing." This can feel like being unable to move even though they want to. It's almost as if their body is momentarily stuck.
It happens because the brain’s signals to the muscles get disrupted. According to The Lewy Body Society, around half of all people with LBD experience a “freezing” sensation when trying to move.
