Question:
My father suffers from what we think is Lewy Body Dementia. I say thatbecause no correct diagnoses can be given until after his death.

My question covers the hereditary aspects of this dementia. I read onwww.zacrom.com that:

'...Rare 'familial' cases of Lewy body disease have been described. Inthese families it is inherited as an 'autosomal dominant' disease whichmeans that if a person carries the gene, he/she will eventually develop thedisease. Their children have a 50% chance of inheriting the illness.'

None of my fathers siblings suffered or suffer from dementia. Could Iconclude from this that my father is extremely unlikely to have an inheritedform of the disease? Could I also conclude that my chances of developingthe disease is extremely low?

Answer: Lewy body belongs to a group of dementias characterized by starting thedeterioration in the frontal lobes of the brain, instead of the rear mostparts, which is the way Alzheimer's tends to affect people.

Some frontal lobe dementias have a strong inherited component and some donot. In fact, Lowy body tends *not* to be inherited, which is why I thinkthe article said "...rare familial cases..."

The unnamed Frontal Lobe Dementia has a much stronger inherited component.Sadly, it is what my FIL had. The family also suspects his father had it.