Signs Of Lewy Body Dementia

Lapses In Attention

Lewy body dementia often presents with lapses in attention, similar to the way other dementia-related conditions present. In addition to difficulty concentrating, people may experience executive dysfunction. Executive functioning is the portion of the brain that helps individuals execute tasks. When this portion of the brain is impaired, it can be difficult to carry out basic tasks, even if an individual wants to do them. Executive dysfunction differs slightly from a lapse in concentration, but the two often go hand-in-hand. The symptoms may be similar to those seen in conditions like ADD. Studies have also shown patients with Lewy body dementia tend to have slowed reaction times in comparison to healthy individuals. There may be drowsy episodes, long naps in the day, or long periods where an individual stares into space.

Disorganized Speech

Disorganized speech is a common component of Lewy body dementia. It may occur alongside cognitive issues like executive dysfunction and confusion. Disorganized speech tends to occur because patients have problems maintaining their train of thought and concentrating. An individual with disorganized speech may say incoherent things, give unrelated answers to questions, make illogical statements, or shift between topics with no connections. Word preservation occurs when the affected individual repeats the same idea or words over and over. There may also be made-up words only the speaker understands. Rhyming phrases and words may be used despite their meaninglessness. If cognitive impairment is severe enough, understanding the patient might become nearly impossible.