Alzheimer’s and Lewy Body Dementia Updates, New Antibody Trials, and the “Ghost Cholesterol"

Send us FAN MAIL text, include your cell# for a replyAlzheimer’s and Lewy Body Dementia Updates, New Antibody Trials, and the “Ghost Cholesterol"Season eight of Village’s Vitality Life (formerly Open Forum in The Villages, Florida) features a conversation between host Mike Roth and Dr. Craig Curtis about Alzheimer’s disease, Lewy body dementia, and related research and clinical trials relevant to seniors.Chapters:- Podcast season focus and listener-supported format- Lewy body dementia: current diagnosis is clinical due to lack of reliable blood test or scan- Differences between Alzheimer’s and Lewy body dementia: different protein build-ups (amyloid vs. alpha-synuclein) and typical symptom patterns (memory-first vs. emotional changes then memory)- Parkinson’s connection: same alpha-synuclein protein; spinal fluid “seed amplification assay” now reliable for Parkinson’s and may later apply to Lewy body dementia- Alzheimer’s research direction: new re-engineered antibody tritinamab described as potentially 10–15x safer, faster amyloid removal (3–4 months vs. 12–18 months), and currently in final-phase clinical trials started late December 2025 with ~1,500 participants treated for 18 months- Prevention trial plans: upcoming double-blind study screening ages 55–80 without cognitive concerns using blood testing and PET confirmation; medicine vs. placebo over 18 months- Current approved Alzheimer’s antibodies: remove amyloid and slow progression ~30% but carry significant risks of brain swelling and brain bleeding- Vascular focus: discussion of lipoprotein(a) “Lp(a)” as genetically linked “ghost cholesterol,” a major risk factor for cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, and peripheral vascular disease; diet and statins do not significantly reduce it- New Lp(a) pill research: reported ~85% reduction in a small ~500-person study; launching a large 26-country outcomes trial (13,000 participants; ~100,000 screened) with five-year follow-up to see if lowering Lp(a) reduces major adverse cardiac events; trial enrolls higher-risk individuals to ensure sufficient event rates- Link to Alzheimer’s: about 20–25% of Alzheimer’s patients have some vascular disease in the brain that may worsen symptoms; improving vascular health may help slow neurodegenerative disease progression- Adjunct/alternative topics: favorable view of hyperbaric oxygen based on science and case studies but lack of large double-blind trials; stem cells and peptides described as promising but lacking large randomized double-blind evidence; platelet-rich plasma discussed as having studies suggesting limited benefit vs. placebo- GLP-1 drugs and Alzheimer’s: recent study reported no statistically significant benefit over ~2 years, though biomarkers (tau/amyloid) trended in the right direction; more biomarker data expected at a March meeting in Copenhagen- Local resources and participation: contact information provided for K2 Medical Research in Lady Lake, Florida (phone 352-500-5252; website k2medicalresearch.com); expectation of 6–7 new studies this year and mention of single-overnight phase 1 studies currently for Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s- Episode close: next episode release schedule, supporter acknowledgments, contact methods (email, website fan mail), and copyright notice00:00 Welcome to Season 8 + What This Podcast Covers00:43 Meet Dr. Craig Curtis: Today’s Focus on Alzheimer’s & Brain Health00:55 Lewy Body Dementia 101: Why Diagnosis Is So Hard04:27 New Testing Frontiers: Spinal Fluid Assays & What’s Next for Lewy Body06:13 Alzheimer’s Research Breakthrough: Tritinamab and Safer, Faster Amyloid Removal08:08 Prevention Trials & Current Alzheimer’s Treatments (Benefits vs Risks)09:32 The ‘Ghost Cholesterol’ (Lipoprotein(a)) and a Major New Heart Study14:57 Can You Lower Lp(a)? Diet, Statins, and Who Qualifies for the Trial17:37 Hyperbaric Oxygen, Stem Cells, Peptides & PRP: What Evidence Do WVillages Vitality Listeners, I've got some good news for you. In season 8 most new episodes will released as both audio & video versions. Videos on Apple Podcasts, Busssprout.com and YouTube. If you're listening via our Buzzsprout feed, you can ask questions via the Fan Mail button or leave me comments as a text or in our new feature, you can send it as a voicemail. If you'd like a response, make sure you leave your name, email address and cell phone number.Support the showVillages Vitality Senior Life Unscripted is Produced & Directed by Mike RothA new episode will be released most Fridays at 9 AMDirect all questions and comments to [email protected] you know a someone who should appear on the show, please contact us at:  [email protected]