Lewy body dementia is a disease associated with abnormal protein that eats away at the brain and causes issues with thinking, movement, behaviour and mood.

There is no cure and little is known about the disease, with no definitive way of making a medical diagnosis until an autopsy is performed, leaving doctors to diagnose sufferers based on medical history, a physical exam and symptoms.

WHAT IS LEWY BODY DEMENTIA?

* "Lewy body dementias" is an umbrella term describing two forms of dementia: dementia with Lewy bodies and Parkinson's disease dementia

* Lewy body dementias cause changes in thinking, movement, behaviour and bodily functions

* There is no known cure for the Lewy body dementias yet, but the conditions are manageable and some symptoms can be treated.

WHAT CAUSES LEWY BODY DEMENTIA?

* Anyone can develop Lewy body dementia, but it becomes more common as people get older

* More than 100,000 Australians have Lewy body dementia

* Right now, it's not known why Lewy bodies form

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF LEWY BODY DEMENTIA

* Changes in thinking, behaviour, movement and bodily functions are symptoms of both types of Lewy body dementia

* Symptoms depend on which brain area is affected and the stage of the dementia. They can change over time

* Many of the changes can come and go, which are called fluctuations. There can be changes to abilities that last a few hours or a few days

* It can also change the way an individual thinks, concentrates and their behaviour

* Some also suffer from hallucinations that can feel very real for the person at the time - it can include loved ones, spiders or snakes

Source: Dementia Australia