The symptoms of DLB are caused by the build-up of Lewy bodies which are accumulated bits of alpha-synuclein protein inside the nuclei of neurons in areas of the brain that control particular aspects of memory and motor control.
Researchers don’t know exactly why alpha-synuclein accumulates into Lewy bodies or how Lewy bodies cause the symptoms of DLB, but they do know that alpha-synuclein accumulation is also linked to Parkinson's disease, multiple system atrophy, and several other disorders, which are referred to as the synucleinopathies.
DLB usually occurs sporadically, in people with no known family history of the disease. However, rare familial cases have occasionally been reported.
What causes Dementia with Lewy bodies?
The symptoms of DLB are caused by the build-up of Lewy bodies which are accumulated bits of alpha-synuclein protein inside the nuclei of neurons in areas of the brain that control particular aspects of memory and motor control.
Researchers don’t know exactly why alpha-synuclein accumulates into Lewy bodies or how Lewy bodies cause the symptoms of DLB, but they do know that alpha-synuclein accumulation is also linked to Parkinson's disease, multiple system atrophy, and several other disorders, which are referred to as the synucleinopathies.
DLB usually occurs sporadically, in people with no known family history of the disease. However, rare familial cases have occasionally been reported.