Hunting the Monster that Killed Robin Williams
Dr. Russell Lebovitz discusses the early warning signs of
Lewy Body Dementia, the mysterious brain disease that
destroyed one of Hollywood’s most creative minds
Often misdiagnosed, Lewy Body Dementia (LBD) is the second most common dementia after Alzheimer’s and afflicts about 1.4 million Americans. Officially named in 1976, Lewy Body Dementia is triggered when protein deposits called Lewy Bodies develop in nerve cells in regions of the brain involved in thinking, memory, and movement.
According to brain disease research scientist Dr. Russell Lebovitz, LBD has been a challenge to diagnose due to the fact that LBD patients can display Alzheimer’s-like symptoms, such as:
· Loss of reasoning or logic
· Loss of executive function
· Loss of memory
· Hallucinations (visual and smell)
LBD Patients can also display Parkinson’s-like symptoms
· Rigid muscles
· Difficulty initiating voluntary movements
· A shuffling walk
· Leaning towards one side
· Sleep disorders
· Autonomic changes affecting heart rate, blood pressure, and incontinence
“Because of overlapping symptoms, 40-50% of the time LBD patients are wrongly diagnosed as having either Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s,” says Dr. Lebovitz.
“Robin Williams was misdiagnosed with Parkinson’s before he died. The telltale signs of Lewy Body Dementia in Robin’s brain were not discovered until an autopsy was performed. Had Robin been correctly diagnosed at the very onset of his symptoms, the outcome could have been different. Unfortunately, he was driven to end his life because the monster called LBD had utterly ravaged his mind for decades, silently stealing his creative genius and joy for living,” says Dr. Lebovitz.
Early, Accurate LBD Detection Now Possible with New Test
An early diagnosis of LBD and other neurodegenerative brain diseases is crucial because it allows doctors to steer their patients to suitable treatment options early, when the brain is healthier and more likely to respond to intervention.
A new diagnostic tool called the “SYNTap” test developed by Dr. Lebovitz’s Amprion research team enables doctors to detect the presence of LBD and other brain diseases in their patient’s decades before symptoms appear, potentially giving the diagnosed patient who pivots to healthy lifestyle choices many years – and perhaps a lifetime — of symptom-free living.
“This early detection technology removes the ‘maybes’ and prevents misdiagnosis. It can provide tremendous relief for patients and their families when tremors and balance issues ascribed to Parkinson’s are shown to be merely signs of normal brain aging.”
Dr. Lebovitz recommends that those who believe they are experiencing early-stage LBD symptoms or other neurological issues consult with their physician for examination and to discuss available testing options, including SYNTap testing.
SAMPLE INTERVIEW QUESTIONS
1. What is Lewy Body Dementia (LBD), what causes it, and who can get it?
2. What are the early warning signs of LBD and what are its stages?
3. Why has LBD been so difficult to diagnose?
4. What prevented Robin Williams from being properly diagnosed as having LBD?
5. Why is early detection and correct diagnosis of degenerative brain disease so crucial for the patient?
6. Your research team has developed the “SYNTap Test” for detecting LBD, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s decades before symptoms appear. Tell us how it works.
7. Why is this test a “game changer” for detection and diagnosis of brain disease?
8. Where can patients and physicians learn more about early-stage Lewy Body Dementia and other brain diseases in the ParkinZheimer Spectrum, and get information about the new SYNTap test? (go to http://AmprionMe.com)
ABOUT DR. RUSSELL LEBOVITZ, MD, AMPRION CO-FOUNDER & CEO
Dr. Russell Lebovitz, MD/PhD, is the Co-founder and CEO of biotech diagnostics company Amprion. Prior to his management career, Dr. Lebovitz worked as a senior scientist and research physician for over 15 years. He also served on the faculty of Baylor College of Medicine in Houston and The Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia.
Refs: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-lewy-body-dementia-gripped-robin-williams1/
https://www.health.com/condition/neurological-disorders/what-is-lewy-body-dementia
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