Nine symptoms of Lewy body dementia to be aware of following Sir Patrick Stewart's death aged 86
Sir Patrick Stewart was battling Lewy body dementia at the time of his death, which was announced yesterday (October 29).
Stewart was undeniably a Hollywood icon and was best known for his roles as Captain Jean-Luc Picard and Professor Charles Xavier.
He died on October 28 at the age of 86, but the sad news wasn't shared until 24 hours later.
A statement shared to Stewart's official Instagram page read: "We announce with great sorrow the passing of Sir Patrick Stewart yesterday at his home in Los Angeles, in the loving care of his beloved wife Sunny, following a brief and poignant journey with Alzheimer's Disease and Lewy Body Dementia."
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The likes of Sir Ian McKellen and Marvel Studios have gone on to pay tribute to the late actor following his death.
It's unclear how long Stewart had been battling the two diseases as his diagnoses were never shared publicly.
Lewy body dementia is said to affect over 1,000,000 in the US. The onset of the illness typically begins between the ages of 50 to 85, and those with it tend to live five to seven years after diagnosis, says The Lewy Body Society.
What is Lewy body dementia (LBD)?
LBD covers two types of dementia: dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) and Parkinson’s disease dementia (PDD).
It's a progressive condition and accounts for roughly 15 percent of cases of dementia, per the Lewy Body Society.
"It is more common in people over the age of 65 but also accounts for around 10 percent of cases of early-onset dementia, where symptoms begin before 65," it adds.
Apparently LBD is commonly mistaken for, and misdiagnosed as, Alzheimer's disease.
What are the symptoms of LBD?
The Lewy Body Dementia Resource Center outlines nine key symptoms of the condition – which is more likely to be found in men than women.
Because LBD often goes 'unrecognized for years', it's important that you know the early warning signs of it.
Visual hallucinations
"Visual hallucinations are one of the first and most distinctive signs of Lewy body dementia," says the LBD Resource Center. "The hallucinations are detailed and formed visions that seem completely real in the moment."
These hallucinations might follow patterns. For example, many people see children or young adults in their home. Others may see animals.
Acting out dreams during sleep
Apparently people with LBD may act out their dreams in ways that can be violent or dangerous. This is called REM sleep behavior disorder, and it frequently appears years before any other symptoms.
Usually during REM sleep your muscles are temporarily paralyzed, but if you have REM sleep disorder they're not; for example, you might wake up to find your partner punching the air or yelling at someone who isn’t there.
Changes in alertness and thinking
This is said to be 'one of the most confusing parts' of LBD as a person with the condition might find that their thinking and alertness fluctuates throughout the day.
"These fluctuations can be dramatic," fhe LBD Resource Center explains. "During a clear period, the person can hold complex conversations, remember recent events, and function normally.
"During a confused period, they might not recognize where they are, struggle to complete simple sentences, or stare into space for long stretches."
Movement changes similar to Parkinson's disease
LBD can cause movement issues that are similar to Parkinson's, such as movement being slower that usual, steps becoming shorter, and one arm swinging less than the other while walking.
Stiffness and tremors may also occur. How these signs differentiate from Parkinson's is the timing.
The LBD Resource Center states: "In Parkinson’s, movement problems usually appear years before any cognitive changes. In Lewy body dementia, movement problems develop around the same time as cognitive symptoms or shortly after.
"If someone has both movement and thinking problems appearing together, LBD is more likely than Parkinson’s."
Spacial awareness and depth perception issues
People with LBD often struggle with tasks that require visual-spatial skills, even if they're basic vision is fine. For example, they may bump into doorframes, and have trouble navigating familiar spaces.
Pouring liquids or reaching for an object might become increasingly more difficult for them as well.
Another thing an LBD patient might find hard is reading. This is because 'their brain struggles to organize the letters and words on a page'.
Serious sensitivity to antipsychotic medications
LBD sufferers are routinely prescribed for agitation, confusion, or hallucinations in other types of dementia. However, these drugs can be dangerous to them and cause reactions.
"Standard antipsychotics can cause sudden worsening of movement symptoms, extreme sedation, high fever, or a condition called neuroleptic malignant syndrome that can be fatal," the experts warn.
"Even newer antipsychotics marketed as safer can cause serious problems in people with LBD."
Untreatable mental illness
Mood changes occur early on in LBD. Before other symptoms become more prevalent, someone might start to experience depression. Anxiety can also emerge, while apathy is described as 'particularly common'.
It's said that typical antidepressants don't help those with LBD very much.
The LBD Research Center adds: "If your loved one has depression and also has movement problems, sleep issues, or hallucinations, the combination suggests LBD rather than primary depression."
Blood pressure and body temperature regulation problems
Blood pressure issues is described as 'common' in people with LBD and can cause someone to become dizzy or lightheaded when standing up because their blood pressure drops suddenly.
In terms of body temperature, someone may sweat excessively or not sweat enough.
In addition to this, the LBD sufferer might feel too hot or too cold – even when the room temperature seems okay to everyone else.
A sense that something's wrong before anyone else notices
This sign is particularly niche. It isn't a medical symptom but can be one of the first sign families recognize in retrospect.
The experts say: "You might have felt for months or even years that something was off, even when you couldn’t put your finger on what was wrong."
Niamh Shackleton