INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — We all know about Alzheimer’s disease, in fact, many of us know someone who has been impacted by it.

But there is another form of dementia that affects more than a million Americans, and yet, few of us have heard of it. It’s called Lewy Body dementia or LBD. It’s progressive, and causes uncontrollable tremors, problems with memory, attention, and sleep. There is no cure and no medication to stop the progression — that is until now.

Actor Bruce Willis has recently made the news because of it. Robin Williams also suffered from it, as did famous disc jockey Casey Kasem.

“Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia. Lewy body dementia is the second most common cause of dementia,” stated Dr. James Galvin, MD, neurologist at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.

Lewy Body dementia is caused by abnormal collections of a protein inside the brain cells.

“In Lewy Body formation, that protein becomes abnormal, takes on an abnormal structure and starts to clump together or aggregate. And when it forms this aggregate, that’s called a Lewy Body,” Galvin said.

There are no medications to treat LBD, only to help ease the symptoms. But now, Galvin is leading a nationwide study investigating a new drug, CT-1812, that targets protein clumps in the brain. Potentially offering a double benefit!

“We hope that one, it provides some symptomatic benefit and that two, it may help slow down the disease process,” Galvin said.

The trial is currently enrolling nationwide and is focused on patients with mild to moderate Lewy Body dementia. Patients will receive either a placebo or they will take a pill containing CT-1812 for six months. Men are at higher risk for Lewy Body dementia, and the average age at diagnosis is a little bit earlier than Alzheimer’s. Most people are diagnosed in their 60s, whereas with Alzheimer’s, it’s in the mid-70s.

This story was created from a script aired on WISH-TV. Health Spotlight is presented by Community Health Network.