dementia with Lewy bodies
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GC: n

S: Alz.org – https://www.alz.org/alzheimers-dementia/what-is-dementia/types-of-dementia/dementia-with-lewy-bodies (last access: 22 July 2023); Camb Univ Press – https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/the-british-journal-of-psychiatry/article/dementia-with-lewy-bodies/0A3361403734F9E64715C2EE15038E01 (last access: 22 July 2023).

N: 1. – dementia (n): “extremely low condition of mental function, mental incapacity,” 1806, from Latin dementia “madness, insanity,” literally “a being out of one’s mind,” from dement–, stem of demens “mad, raving” (see dement) + abstract noun suffix –ia.

It existed earlier in an Englished form, demency (1520s), from French démence. Especially in reference to senile dementia “the failure of mind which occurs in old age” (1822). Dementia praecox for what now would be called schizophrenia is a Modern Latin form recorded from 1899 in English, 1891 in German, from French démence précoce (1857). See precocious.

– with (prep): Old English wið “against, opposite, from, toward, by, near,” a shortened form related to wiðer, from Proto-Germanic *withro– “against” (source also of Old Saxon withar “against,” Old Norse viðr “against, with, toward, at,” Middle Dutch, Dutch weder, Dutch weer “again,” Gothic wiþra “against, opposite”), from PIE *wi-tero–, literally “more apart,” suffixed form of *wi– “separation” (source also of Sanskrit vi “apart,” Avestan vi- “asunder,” Sanskrit vitaram “further, farther,” Old Church Slavonic vutoru “other, second”). Compare widow (n.).

– Lewy (pn): In 1912, Friedrich Heinrich Lewy (1885-1950) first described the inclusion bodies named after him and seen in paralysis agitans (p.a.).

– bodies (n): Plural of “body”. Middle English bodi, from Old English bodig “trunk of a man or beast; the whole physical structure of a human or animal; material frame, material existence of a human; main or principal part of anything,” related to Old High German botah, but otherwise of unknown origin. Not elsewhere in Germanic, and the word has died out in German (replaced by Leib, originally “life,” and Körper, from Latin), “but in English body remains as a great and important word” [Oxford English Dictionary].

. Abbreviation: DLB.

2. Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) is a type of dementia caused by Lewy bodies, which are clumps of protein in the cells of the brain. Read more about what DLB is, and who gets the condition.

3. Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), also known as Lewy body dementia, is one of the most common types of dementia.

Dementia is the name for problems with mental abilities caused by gradual changes and damage in the brain. It’s rare in people under 65.

It tends to develop slowly and get gradually worse over several years.

4. Symptoms of dementia with Lewy bodies:

People with dementia with Lewy bodies may have:

  • hallucinations and hearing voices – seeing, hearing or smelling things that are not there
  • problems with understanding, thinking, memory and judgement – this is similar to Alzheimer’s disease, although memory may be less affected in people with dementia with Lewy bodies
  • confusion or sleepiness – this can change over minutes or hours
  • slow movement, stiff limbs and tremors (uncontrollable shaking)
  • disturbed sleep, often with violent movements and shouting out
  • fainting spells, unsteadiness and falls
  • depression and anxiety

These problems can make daily activities increasingly difficult and someone with the condition may eventually be unable to look after themselves.

5. Cultural Interrelation: We can mention the actor Robin Williams (1951-2014) among others.

S: 1. OED – https://www.etymonline.com/search?q=dementia, https://www.etymonline.com/search?q=with, https://www.etymonline.com/search?q=body (last access: 22 July 2023); NHS – https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/dementia-with-lewy-bodies/ (last access: 22 July 2023); NHS – https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12012571/ (last access: 22 July 2023). 2. Alz Soc – https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/about-dementia/types-dementia/dementia-with-lewy-bodies (last access: ). 3 & 4. NHS – https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/dementia-with-lewy-bodies/ (last access: 22 July 2023). 5. NHS – https://www.ninds.nih.gov/news-events/directors-messages/all-directors-messages/robins-wish (last access: 22 July 2023).

SYN: Lewy body dementia

S: NIH – https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/what-lewy-body-dementia-causes-symptoms-and-treatments (last access: 22 July 2023)

CR: dementia