Is it Lewy body disease? Lewy body disease or Lewy body dementia
accounts for 20-40% of dementias and is a dementia causing
progressive cognitive and behavioral difficulties. It is the
second most common form of dementia after Alzheimer's disease.
It received its name due to the fact that nerve cells accumulate
microscopic protein deposits called Lewy bodies. Lewy bodies are
also found in the nerve cells of people with Parkinson’s
disease. The clinical symptoms can overlap those seen in
Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease so diagnosis is
sometimes difficult. For this reason the Lewy body disease
consortium, a panel of leading scientific experts convened and
issued this statement to help diagnosis: - If the cognitive or
behavioral problems are present from the beginning or within one
year from the onset of Parkinson’s motor symptoms then the
diagnosis is Lewy Body disease. - If Parkinson’s movement
symptoms have been present for greater than one year and then
the person experiences cognitive behavioral