Robin Williams dies at 63 of apparent suicide - August 11th, 2014
- Thread starter CWipes
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Interesting Charles Darwin quote:
Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge
Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge
Gentlemen,
Williams Had Lewy Body Dimentia
We'll remember that some were unforgiving about the "apparent suicide" of Robins Williams. Some took the position that it was inexcusable and that he killed himself inferring it had been a free choice. Apparently it wasn't, and according to CNN this morning there also was no alcohol or so-called recreational drugs in his system. The now confirmed diagnosis of Williams condition shows he definitely suffered from effects that would have greatly diminished his ability to have personal control and act rationally with symptoms it was nearly impossible to control and dangerous to treat. Having Lewy Dementia cannot not be accurately determined until after death. It is then commonly diagnosed as Alzheimer's and the anti-psychotic medications used for that disease often worsens the effects of Lewy Dementia.
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/what-is-lewy-body-dementia/
Robin Williams' suicide was triggered by a horrible disease called Lewy Body Dementia ... sources connected with his family tell TMZ.
TMZ has obtained documents showing Williams was struggling with the disease, which is marked by abnormal protein deposits in the brain that disrupt normal function.
Lewy Body Dementia is a condition commonly associated with Parkinson's ... and people afflicted by both often get severe side effects from Parkinson's meds. Hallucinations are common, where patients see phantom objects, people or animals. The patients often try to converse with the illusions.
Robin's wife had told authorities shortly after his death he had been complaining about the meds and the way they made him feel.
Sources connected with the Williams family tell TMZ ... Lewy Body Dementia was the "key factor" they believe drove him to kill himself. We're told Robin's doctors agree that the disease was the critical factor leading to his suicide.
continued...
Lewy body dementia is "very complex and it requires treating a much broader range of symptoms to maximize quality of life," Angela Taylor, director of programs at the Lewy Body Dementia Association, told CBS News. Symptoms of the disease can include memory, cognitive and motor problems, muscle stiffness, gait problems and hallucinations. Currently there is no cure for Lewy body dementia, which means doctors must help patients manage each of these symptoms independently when they emerge.
Taylor added that the disease can be difficult to diagnose since there is not currently a medical test to differentiate Lewy body dementia from other types of dementia, such as Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia. Many of the symptoms associated with Lewy body dementia can be similar to Alzheimer's disease. For example, a decline in cognitive abilities is one of the early signs of Alzheimer's disease; it's also associated with Lewy body dementia, but is not typically a symptom of Parkinson's disease.
This is why Lewy body dementia is also the most frequently misdiagnosed form of dementia. A survey conducted by Taylor's organization found Lewy body dementia patients spent an average of 18 months seeking medical evaluations and visited an average of three or more doctors before receiving a diagnosis.
"The report indicates that [Williams] was being treated for Parkinson's and that is one of the features of dementia with Lewy bodies," said Taylor. "Hallucinations are a core feature of Lewy body dementia."
Treatment for this type of dementia can be challenging. The antipsychotic medications used for patients with Alzheimer's to manage psychiatric problems often are not tolerated by people with Lewy body dementia. According to the Lewy Body Dementia Association, as many as 50 percent of Lewy body dementia patients placed on antipsychotic medications can experience a worsening of symptoms and the impact can even be fatal.
Experts say the distribution of telltale protein deposits in the brain tend to be limited in a person with Parkinson's disease. However, in a patient with Lewy body dementia, the proteins are spread widely throughout the brain. This detail most likely could only be uncovered through an autopsy.
http://www.alz.org/dementia/dementia-with-lewy-bodies-symptoms.asp
Key differences between Alzheimer's and DLB
Memory loss tends to be a more prominent symptom in early Alzheimer's than in early DLB, although advanced DLB may cause memory problems in addition to its more typical effects on judgment, planning and visual perception.
Movement symptoms are more likely to be an important cause of disability early in DLB than in Alzheimer's, although Alzheimer's can cause problems with walking, balance and getting around as it progresses to moderate and severe stages.
Hallucinations, delusions, and misidentification of familiar people are significantly more frequent in early-stage DLB than in Alzheimer's.
REM sleep disorder is more common in early DLB than in Alzheimer's.
Treatment and outcomes
Cholinesterase inhibitors drugs are the current mainstay for treating thinking changes in Alzheimer's. They also may help certain DLB symptoms.
Antipsychotic drugs should be used with extreme caution in DLB. Although physicians sometimes prescribe these drugs for behavioral symptoms that can occur in Alzheimer's, they may cause serious side effects in as many as 50 percent of those with DLB. Side effects may include sudden changes in consciousness, impaired swallowing, acute confusion, episodes of delusions or hallucinations, or appearance or worsening of Parkinson's symptoms.
Antidepressants may be used to treat depression, which is common with DLB, Parkinson's disease dementia and Alzheimer's.The most commonly used antidepressants are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).
Clonazepam may be prescribed to treat REM sleep disorder.
Disruption of the autonomic nervous system, causing a blood pressure drop on standing, dizziness, falls and urinary incontinence, is much more common in early DLB than in Alzheimer's.
Merlot
Williams Had Lewy Body Dimentia
We'll remember that some were unforgiving about the "apparent suicide" of Robins Williams. Some took the position that it was inexcusable and that he killed himself inferring it had been a free choice. Apparently it wasn't, and according to CNN this morning there also was no alcohol or so-called recreational drugs in his system. The now confirmed diagnosis of Williams condition shows he definitely suffered from effects that would have greatly diminished his ability to have personal control and act rationally with symptoms it was nearly impossible to control and dangerous to treat. Having Lewy Dementia cannot not be accurately determined until after death. It is then commonly diagnosed as Alzheimer's and the anti-psychotic medications used for that disease often worsens the effects of Lewy Dementia.
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/what-is-lewy-body-dementia/
Robin Williams' suicide was triggered by a horrible disease called Lewy Body Dementia ... sources connected with his family tell TMZ.
TMZ has obtained documents showing Williams was struggling with the disease, which is marked by abnormal protein deposits in the brain that disrupt normal function.
Lewy Body Dementia is a condition commonly associated with Parkinson's ... and people afflicted by both often get severe side effects from Parkinson's meds. Hallucinations are common, where patients see phantom objects, people or animals. The patients often try to converse with the illusions.
Robin's wife had told authorities shortly after his death he had been complaining about the meds and the way they made him feel.
Sources connected with the Williams family tell TMZ ... Lewy Body Dementia was the "key factor" they believe drove him to kill himself. We're told Robin's doctors agree that the disease was the critical factor leading to his suicide.
continued...
Lewy body dementia is "very complex and it requires treating a much broader range of symptoms to maximize quality of life," Angela Taylor, director of programs at the Lewy Body Dementia Association, told CBS News. Symptoms of the disease can include memory, cognitive and motor problems, muscle stiffness, gait problems and hallucinations. Currently there is no cure for Lewy body dementia, which means doctors must help patients manage each of these symptoms independently when they emerge.
Taylor added that the disease can be difficult to diagnose since there is not currently a medical test to differentiate Lewy body dementia from other types of dementia, such as Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia. Many of the symptoms associated with Lewy body dementia can be similar to Alzheimer's disease. For example, a decline in cognitive abilities is one of the early signs of Alzheimer's disease; it's also associated with Lewy body dementia, but is not typically a symptom of Parkinson's disease.
This is why Lewy body dementia is also the most frequently misdiagnosed form of dementia. A survey conducted by Taylor's organization found Lewy body dementia patients spent an average of 18 months seeking medical evaluations and visited an average of three or more doctors before receiving a diagnosis.
"The report indicates that [Williams] was being treated for Parkinson's and that is one of the features of dementia with Lewy bodies," said Taylor. "Hallucinations are a core feature of Lewy body dementia."
Treatment for this type of dementia can be challenging. The antipsychotic medications used for patients with Alzheimer's to manage psychiatric problems often are not tolerated by people with Lewy body dementia. According to the Lewy Body Dementia Association, as many as 50 percent of Lewy body dementia patients placed on antipsychotic medications can experience a worsening of symptoms and the impact can even be fatal.
Experts say the distribution of telltale protein deposits in the brain tend to be limited in a person with Parkinson's disease. However, in a patient with Lewy body dementia, the proteins are spread widely throughout the brain. This detail most likely could only be uncovered through an autopsy.
http://www.alz.org/dementia/dementia-with-lewy-bodies-symptoms.asp
Key differences between Alzheimer's and DLB
Memory loss tends to be a more prominent symptom in early Alzheimer's than in early DLB, although advanced DLB may cause memory problems in addition to its more typical effects on judgment, planning and visual perception.
Movement symptoms are more likely to be an important cause of disability early in DLB than in Alzheimer's, although Alzheimer's can cause problems with walking, balance and getting around as it progresses to moderate and severe stages.
Hallucinations, delusions, and misidentification of familiar people are significantly more frequent in early-stage DLB than in Alzheimer's.
REM sleep disorder is more common in early DLB than in Alzheimer's.
Treatment and outcomes
Cholinesterase inhibitors drugs are the current mainstay for treating thinking changes in Alzheimer's. They also may help certain DLB symptoms.
Antipsychotic drugs should be used with extreme caution in DLB. Although physicians sometimes prescribe these drugs for behavioral symptoms that can occur in Alzheimer's, they may cause serious side effects in as many as 50 percent of those with DLB. Side effects may include sudden changes in consciousness, impaired swallowing, acute confusion, episodes of delusions or hallucinations, or appearance or worsening of Parkinson's symptoms.
Antidepressants may be used to treat depression, which is common with DLB, Parkinson's disease dementia and Alzheimer's.The most commonly used antidepressants are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).
Clonazepam may be prescribed to treat REM sleep disorder.
Disruption of the autonomic nervous system, causing a blood pressure drop on standing, dizziness, falls and urinary incontinence, is much more common in early DLB than in Alzheimer's.
Merlot
It's hard to make a diagnosis without being in front of the patient! There's a big difference between a suicide due to depression and chosing when you want to die when facing such terrible disease. I wonder if is the way that Williams wanted to go ! If he had preferred less violent death.
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