What are Lewy Body Dementias?
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the most common neurodegenerative movement disorder affecting more than 500,000 people in the US. The cardinal features of PD include resting tremor, slowness of movement (bradykinesia), increased muscle tone (cogwheel rigidity) and a tendency to lose one’s balance (postural instability). Dementia is a variable presentation in PD, typically occurring late in the course of the disease. Statistics vary, with reports ranging from 20-60% of patients eventually developing some cognitive decline. The dementia that occurs in PD has not been extensively characterized but is thought to involve retrieval of previously learned information and slowed processing of new information. Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is an irreversible, progressive brain disorder that occurs gradually and results in memory loss, unusual behavior, personality changes, and a decline in thinking abilities. It is the most common form of dementing illness among middle and older adults, affecting over 4
