THIS sign can be an early symptom of Lewy Body dementia
Some early warning signs of dementia you must know about
Dementia is an age-related mental condition characterised by memory loss, confusion, trouble in speaking and poor judgment. It is a progressive disease but the symptoms become more predominant and start affecting your daily life in the 60s. The early signs are quite subtle and hence often go unnoticed.
Lewy Body Dementia is one of the most common types of dementia, after Alzheimer’s disease. The condition progresses in seven stages, and identifying its signs early can help treat the condition.
What is Lewy Body Dementia?
Lewy body dementia (LBD) also known as dementia with Lewy bodies is caused by clumps of protein that form in the brain. The protein deposition, known as Lewy bodies develop in nerve cells in the brain regions involved in thinking, memory and movement. The condition progresses slowly and leads to mental decline. The protein deposition is also associated with Parkinson's disease. Besides, people with Lewy bodies in their brains also have the amyloid plaques and tangled bundles of fibers which are also associated with the Alzheimer's disease.
Early symptoms of Lewy Body Dementia
The symptoms of Lewy body dementia progresses slowly and gets worse over time. But the way the symptom of this condition progresses depends on several factors like age, health and genes. As per a study published in the National Library of Health, the decline in the ability to recognise facial expressions can be an early warning sign of Lewy Body Dementia that should not be taken lightly. Based on the findings of a study, the researchers concluded that patients suffering from this kind of dementia had a hard time recognising the expression, other than happiness.
What did the study reveal?
In the study carried out between March 2016 to July 2017, researchers examined the characteristics of recognition of the six facial expressions of "happiness," "sadness," "fear," "anger," "surprise," and "disgust". They researched 107 people aged 60 years and more, diagnosed with dementia. In the end, it was revealed that a patient suffering from Lewy Body Disease, could recognise happiness and it was the only facial expression that was unaffected by ageing, onset, and duration of the disease. These people also faced difficulty in understanding the expression of fear, the study found.
Other symptoms of Lewy Body Dementia
Apart from having difficulty in recognising most of the facial expressions, a patient suffering from Lewy Body Dementia may also show the following early signs:
Visual hallucinations
Movement disorders
Poor regulation of body functions
Cognitive problems
Sleep difficulties
Fluctuating attention
Depression
Apathy
Complications
If you witness any such signs of dementia or have a family history of dementia, talk to your doctor about it. Lewy body dementia is a progressive condition and if not taken care at the right time can progress to severe mental conditions like:
Severe dementia
Aggressive behaviour
Depression
Increased risk of falling and injury
Worsening of parkinsonian signs
Death, on average about seven to eight years