Signs Of Lewy Body Dementia

Issues With Movement

Since Lewy bodies affect the chemicals in the brain, patients have issues with movement. The cerebellum is in the back of the brain and controls balance and coordination. It allows muscles to move together when performing physical activities, including walking, playing sports, or riding a bicycle.

When a disease alters the primary motor cortex, the body cannot regulate motor functions. This area of the brain controls the neural impulses and synapses that manage movement. The signals created here travel through the body to trigger skeletal muscles on opposite sides of the body. The left hemisphere controls the right side of the body, and the right hemisphere handles the left side.

The secondary motor cortices include the parietal cortex, premotor cortex, and the supplementary motor area. These areas of the brain handle spatial and sensory guidance of movement. Lewy bodies interfere with the synapses in the patient's brain and muscles, making it difficult for them to control their hands and fingers. As a result, patients lose the basic ability to steer their hand and lack the coordination needed to pick up a glass.