Differences Between Lewy Body Dementia, Frontal Temporal Dementia and Alzheimer’s

Dementia symptoms develop as a result of brain cell death. Even though some brain cells will die off as we age, dementia is not a natural part of aging. Instead, people with dementia slowly lose their memories, sense of direction and ability to control their emotions. In addition, because of anxiety, delusions and hallucinations, those affected may make unwise decisions.

Lewy Body Dementia

Among the many forms of dementia, Lewy body dementia (LBD) is quite prevalent. In the US, it affects over 1,000,000 people.

Lewy bodies (deposits formed when alpha-synuclein, a protein, accumulates in the brain) are the hallmark of LBD. Lewy bodies result in chemical changes in the brain that affect motor skills, social interactions, emotional states and how you think. For example, disorientation and hallucinations are hallmarks of Lewy body dementia, including Parkinson’s disease-like tremors, rigidity and cognitive impairment.

Frontal Temporal Dementia

Dementia in the frontotemporal portion of the brain affects the frontal lobes (behind the forehead) and the temporal lobes (behind the ears). These two areas of your brain control your personality, actions, words and logic. 

Parts of these lobes atrophy, or shrink, in frontotemporal dementia, leading to symptoms that can include profound alterations in a person’s behavior and language ability. Frontotemporal dementia is a brain disorder that worsens over time, making it hard for people to decide and stay organized, make friends and take proper care of themselves.

This kind of dementia affects adults aged 40 to 65 and impacts about 10% of all dementia cases.

Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer’s disease accounts for 60 to 80% of all dementia cases, making it the most common of all dementia types. Alzheimer’s disease develops when abnormalities in the brain prevent nerve cells from functioning normally. Memory, personality and daily functioning are all impacted by this brain trauma.

The Alzheimer’s Association reports that there could be some overlap between Alzheimer’s disease and LBD. For example, plaques and tangles, hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease, are sometimes also present in the brains of many people with LBD, as are the characteristic clumps of a protein called Lewy bodies. However, while LBD and Alzheimer’s disease have some overlapping symptoms, they are not the same and do not appear to be caused by one another.

Gianna Homes Cares for People with Any Form of Dementia

We plan activities at Gianna Homes that meet our residents’ social, sensory, emotional, spiritual and physical needs. Residents control programming. Gianna Homes’ dementia program turns a “long goodbye” into a pleasant life experience! Our residents experience life through our care. Please call us for more information if you or a loved one needs guidance through this complicated life occurrence.