Lewy Body Dementia May Share Similar Genetic Profiles With Alzheimer's Disease

In a study conducted by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), scientists determined that five genes may play a key part in determining whether an individual will suffer from Lewy body dementia, reports News-Medical . The devastating disorder riddles the brain with clumps of abnormal protein deposits known as Lewy bodies, which are also a hallmark of Parkinson's disease. Published in Nature Genetics , the study's results not only support the disease's ties to Parkinson's but further suggest that people who have Lewy body dementia may share similar genetic profiles to those who have Alzheimer's. Early signs of the disease include hallucinations, mood swings, and problems with thinking. Patients who initially have cognitive and behavioral problems are usually diagnosed as having dementia with Lewy bodies. However, they are sometimes mistakenly diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.