Lewy Body Dementia (LBD), also known as Dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB), is a neurodegenerative disease that shares characteristics with both Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. As one of the four most common types of dementia, LBD involves abnormal protein deposits in the brain, which interfere with normal brain function.

Diagnosing LBD is challenging because its symptoms often resemble those of other neurological disorders, making it difficult to identify accurately.

The Lewy Body Disease Family

Lewy Body Dementia (LBD) belongs to the Lewy Body Disease family, which includes:

1. Lewy Body Dementia (LBD), also called Dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB)
2. Parkinson’s Disease (PD)
3. Parkinson’s Disease with Dementia (PDD)

This guide primarily focuses on LBD, though it briefly covers PD and PDD.

Understanding Lewy Body Dementia: LBD is one of the most common causes of dementia after Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia. It is caused by abnormal deposits of a protein called alpha-synuclein in the brain, first discovered by Friedrich H. Lewy in the early 1900s. These deposits, known as Lewy bodies, disrupt normal brain function and cause progressive brain deterioration.

How Lewy Bodies Affect the Brain:

• Alpha-synuclein proteins are naturally present in the brain. However, in LBD, they mutate and cluster within neurons, leading to cell death.
• The location of Lewy bodies in the brain determines the symptoms:
  • When they affect areas linked to motor control, symptoms may resemble Parkinson’s Disease.
  • When they impact cognitive areas, symptoms may mimic Alzheimer’s Disease, affecting memory and cognition.

Lewy Body Pathology: H&E Stain

(A) The large pink Circle is a Lewy Body within a Brain Cell. (B) The brown section to the left of the Lewy Body is normal brain pigmentation. (C) The nucleus, the cell's control center is to the far left of the cell.

(Source: US Department of Health & Services: Advisory Council on Alzheimer's Research, Care and Services)

For many, Lewy Body Dementia (LBD) and Alzheimer’s disease can seem similar, and the terms are sometimes used interchangeably. However, while both are types of dementia, each has its own unique characteristics.

• Prevalence: Alzheimer’s is much more common than LBD.
• Age of Onset: Alzheimer’s typically affects those aged 65 and older, while LBD can appear at a younger age.

• Alzheimer’s: Usually starts with memory loss as the primary symptom.
• Lewy Body Dementia: Often begins with emotional and behavioral changes like mood swings, hallucinations, and paranoia. Symptoms may vary greatly throughout the day.

For more information on comparing the different types of dementia's - visit our Compare Diagnosis Page or visit these diagnosis specific pages:

Obtaining a clear diagnosis for dementia is difficult for physicians. Misdiagnosis or even undiagnosis is common, as no single test can definitively confirm dementia.

• Brain Imaging and Blood Tests: While helpful, these are not always conclusive.
• Comprehensive Cognitive Testing: Useful but not foolproof in pinpointing the type of dementia.

Despite advances in medical science, diagnosing dementia remains a complex process, as symptoms often overlap with other conditions.

Diagnosing Dementia: A Complex Process

Physicians rely on a combination of tests, the progression of symptoms, and the patient's overall deterioration to create the best possible diagnosis and treatment plan.

Types of Dementia

• Alzheimer’s Disease: 60–80% of cases
• Fronto-temporal Lobe Dementia: 5–10% of cases
• Lewy Body Dementia: 5–10% of cases
• Vascular Dementia: 10–20% of cases

Additionally, Mixed Dementia (having multiple types, such as Alzheimer’s and Fronto-temporal) is common, adding further complexity to diagnosis and treatment.

Lewy Body Dementia: Key Symptom Differences

Lewy Body Dementia primarily manifests through emotional, behavioral, and physical symptoms. Patients may experience sudden mood swings, vivid hallucinations, and motor difficulties similar to Parkinson’s.

In comparison:

• Fronto-temporal Dementia (FTD) often starts with behavioral changes like depression, compulsiveness, and apathy.
• Vascular Dementia is marked by motor function issues, such as changes in gait.
• Alzheimer’s Disease typically begins with memory loss in its early stages.

These distinctions help highlight how each dementia type uniquely affects the brain and body.

In the middle and later stages, Lewy Body Dementia (LBD) often brings about severe emotional and behavioral impairments, such as sleep disturbances, intense paranoia, hallucinations, and short-term memory loss. These symptoms are unique to LBD progression. In contrast, other types of dementia may feature increased wandering, severe memory decline, and loss of motor function. Language challenges, such as difficulty with word-finding and association, are also more prevalent in other forms of dementia.

Understanding the varied symptoms across dementia types supports accurate diagnosis and tailored treatment. Tracking these progressive changes helps physicians create individualized care plans to better manage each patient’s unique needs.

This chart provides a symptom comparison across different types of dementia, highlighting their distinct patterns.

Unlike Alzheimer’s, Lewy Body Dementia (LBD) symptoms do not follow concrete stages, as the disease manifests uniquely in each individual. One person may display a distinct combination of symptoms that can fluctuate significantly—sometimes even moment to moment. These variations make LBD particularly challenging to classify into stages.

However, LBD symptoms are generally grouped into initial, core, suggestive, and supportive features. The central characteristic, shared with other dementias, is progressive cognitive decline, impacting memory, attention, and executive function over time.

Supportive Features

For more detailed information about Lewy Body Dementia including it's causes, how to detect and diagnose the disease, treatments, care options, and important resources for families caring for a loved one, check out our Lewy Body Dementia Guide at this link!  

Care Tips on dealing with every aspect of Lewy Body Dementia (LBD) care including how to keep your loved one safe, how to choose the right care home or tips on how to keep them at home and independent as long as possible.

Find assistive products for LBD in our Lewy Body Dementia Products page. Sort by stage and symptoms to find the best products for you or your loved one.

When arranging care for Lewy Body Dementia (LBD) patients, families generally choose between in-home care and out-of-home care options, based on the patient's needs and disease progression.

In-Home Care Options

For patients in the early stages of LBD, staying at home in a familiar environment can be beneficial. Initially, the primary caregiver may be able to manage care alone. However, as symptoms progress, these in-home care services can be introduced:

• Companion Services: Provide supervision, recreational activities, and companionship.
• Personal Care Services: Assist with personal tasks like bathing, dressing, eating, and exercising.
• Homemaker Services: Help with housekeeping, cooking, and shopping needs.
• Medical Care Services: Address medical needs, physical therapy, or mental health therapy as needed.

For those still capable of some independence, Adult Day Care Centers offer a safe space for social interaction and recreational activities. These centers typically provide a variety of support services, such as:

• Counseling
• Health monitoring
• Meals and personal care
• Behavior management and therapy

This option helps maintain a degree of independence for the patient while giving caregivers respite.

As LBD progresses, residential care becomes more appropriate to meet increased care needs. Options include:

• Personal Care Homes
• Assisted Living Facilities
• Nursing Homes with Memory Care Units

These facilities provide specialized and varying levels of care based on the individual’s needs.

These lesser-known short-term care options focus on supporting the patient's comfort and safety:

• Hospice Care: Available alongside any care arrangement, focusing on end-of-life comfort.
• Geriatric Psychiatric Facilities: Short-term care for adjusting medications during severe behavioral changes to ensure safety for both the patient and caregivers.

For additional guidance on care arrangements or to explore detailed comparisons of each option, visit our pages on:

• Care at Home
• Adult Day Care
• Assisted Living
• Nursing Home

For family members and friends who would like to educate themselves further on the details of Lewy Body Dementia, its symptoms, treatments, and challenges, you should seek the assistance of the national Lewy Body Dementia Association as well as other organizations listed below:

Other websites to obtain more detailed information on Lewy Body Dementia:

For a list of providers, follow this link.

Compared to Alzheimer’s, LBD is still a relatively unknown type of dementia. And because of that, there are a lot of ongoing research and clinical trials going on every day. For example, there are:

For more information on research currently being conducted on Lewy Body Dementia, the following are great resources and tools that can help shine light on progress being made.

For a list of clinical trials check out these awesome resources: