EP 52 :: Lewy Body Dementia : Memory vs. Thinking :: Dr. Melissa Armstrong

Listen on Apple Podcasts

Dr. Melissa Armstrong is the Director of the Mangurian Clinical-Research Headquarters for Lewy Body Dementia at the University of Florida Norman Fixel Institute for Neurological Diseases.

“With Lewy Body, the memory and thinking problems are there right up front, often with visual hallucinations, and the Parkinson symptoms can either be there right away or they can come later,” Dr. Armstrong said.

In Lewy Body dementia, some of the things that make it different from diseases like Alzheimer are the hallucinations and delusions. The most common hallucinations in Lewy Body dementia are usually formed objects like bugs, pets, and people. The delusions involve someone believing something completely that is not true and absolutely nothing can convince them to the contrary.

“So, in people with mild cognitive impairment, or when the memory and thinking aren't quite what they are used to be but they are still independent, then the goal of shared decision-making is still to let them make their decisions with assistance from their team and their family,” Dr. Armstrong said.

“I try never to disenfranchise the person living with dementia and make sure at my appointments that I talk to them,” Dr. Armstrong explained.  “I often start by asking them what they want to tell me even if their caregiver is going to give me most of that history.”

You can find out more about Dr. Armstrong on her website and follow the Institute on Twitter.

Don't forget to subscribe, download, and review to share your thoughts about the show!