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Dr James Galvin |
Source: New Your Times
Most people have not heard of Lewy body dementia, even many health care professionals remain unfamiliar with the disorder.
Yet, “this is not an uncommon disease,” said Dr. James Galvin, a neurologist at NYU Langone Medical Center who has published extensively on the subject. He and other researchers helped the Lewy Body Dementia Association extrapolate from epidemiological surveys and come up with an estimate: About 1.3 million people — considerably more men than women — have Lewy body dementia, named for the scientist who identified these protein deposits in the brain.
You would never wish an Alzheimer’s diagnosis on anyone — yet it might be easier on caregivers like if their “patients” had that far more common form of dementia. Everybody’s heard of Alzheimer’s; lots of people know someone who has it. Doctors better understand the symptoms. Family members can more easily find support groups and programs.
Read the full story by Paula Span on the New York Times Blog here
The 14th International Mental Health Conference will be held at Outrigger, Surfers Paradise, in Queensland on Monday the 5th and Tuesday the 6th of August 2013. Optional workshops will be held on Wednesday the 7th of August. The conference will focus on the complex mental health issues of Depression, Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder and Dementia