I just learned that my uncle is in his last days of Lewy Body Dementia. My aunt also died from Lewy Body Dementia.

These are my father's siblings. His dementia was not specifically determined. Suggested as AD but I know he also had long term Central Sleep Apnea. Could the Lewy Body have been a cause of the Central Sleep Apnea? Maybe he had Lewy Body too. He definitely had Parkinson's.

Is Lewy Body a genetic issue? Could it be a cause of my Central Sleep Apnea?

My siblings have been discussing how they hope they follow our mother's genetics. Her siblings grow old with sound minds and die from heart disease, etc. At 84 years old, she can still do the New York Times Crossword puzzle, in ink.

Hi, Mark.

There are a number of sleep disorders that are common in patients with Lewy body and/or Parkinson's.

For example, REM sleep behavior disorder occurs frequently in these patients. It often precedes the dementia, sometimes by years.

It is thought that REM sleep behavior disorder is associated with alpha-synuclein pathology (which is the hallmark of Lewy body).

Other sleep disturbances are common in Lewy body, including daytime drowsiness, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and "periodic limb movements in sleep".

It is not yet known what causes Lewy body. So far, Lewy body appears to be like late-onset AD, in that it is probably "sporadic", i.e., caused by a combination of risk factors, both genetic and environmental.

Most cases of Parkinson's are sporadic, too. However, some forms of Parkinson's are inherited. So I suppose that we may eventually discover some inherited forms of Lewy body.

Some hereditary forms of Parkinson's are linked to mutations in the alpha-synuclein gene.

Recent studies indicate that people who have more than two copies of the normal alpha-synuclein gene are more likely to develop Parkinson's at a young age, progress more rapidly, and are more likely to develop dementia.

I had an appointment with the rehabilitation doctor today. She's treating me like an anoxic brain injury patient.

I've got a sleep disorder. The only diagnosis I have so far is alpha wave intrusion disorder.

I'm sorry to hear about your uncle, Mark. I've heard of the association of Lewy Body disease with Parkinson's disease. Do you have any symptoms of Parkinson's disease?

I think the genetic risk of disease is underestimated.

Iris L.

Iris, do you remember having significant oxygen deprivation? Otherwise, an odd choice for a diagnosis.

Iris,

I would go with the doctor's concerns. Anoxic brain injury can be so similar to the other dementias.

I watched my father's apnea for more than 30 years. Nobody can tell me that it did not contribute to his disease.

I believe that my apnea is at least contributing to my bad days. My wife sees a connection to my sleep disruptions and my bad days.



I just got word that my Uncle passed away this afternoon.

My mom tells me that my Aunt (dad's sister) is exhibiting many of the same dementia symptoms as my Dad.

I am going to suggest that my cousin ask if an analysis of my Uncle's brain can be done. It would be informative to know if his condition was genetic or anything identifiable.

There was a suggestion that there is a cluster of dementia in the small town where they grew up. Maybe a heavy metal poison in the water or such.

Alan, I never had any oxygen deprivation. Only a 3 day febrile illness. I was very healthy before I got sick. Go figure!

Mark, I hope your cousin consents to the brain autopsy. It will be good to learn more about the pathology and the genetics of your disorder.

Iris L.