Provided by the Lewy Body Dementia Association

Lewy body dementia (LBD) is an umbrella term for two closely related conditions: ‘dementia with Lewy bodies’ and ‘Parkinson’s disease dementia.’ While these conditions present differently at the beginning, many of the same symptoms will develop over time.

Dementia with Lewy bodies always features significant cognitive impairment at the beginning, while a person with Parkinson’s disease always experiences significant changes in movement. Many people with Parkinson’s disease experience mild changes in cognition at some point in their disorder. However, older adults are especially at risk for dementia, but usually not for years after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.

The Lewy Body Dementia Association (LBDA) recently hosted a webinar featuring Dr. James Leverenz, in which he discusses current medications used to treat cognitive and movement symptoms in LBD, hallucinations, and REM sleep behavior disorder.

You can see Dr. Leverenz speak in person at the Alzheimer’s Association Conference Discovery 2016, in April. He will teach two workshops: The Lewy Body Dementias and The Biology of Alzheimer’s Disease and Emerging Therapies.

Register for Discovery 2016 in Seattle HERE.

Dr. James Leverenz is chair of LBDA’s Scientific Advisory Council and the Joseph Hahn, MD Endowed Chair of the Cleveland Clinic Neurological Institute.