How scientists explain the cause of Alzheimer?
How scientists explain the cause of Alzheimer?
Alzheimer's disease is a progressive brain disease that wreaks havoc on memory and thinking skills, as well as the capacity to carry out even the most basic tasks. Symptoms of late-onset type occur in the mid-60s in the majority of patients with the condition.
Alzheimer is caused by a build-up of proteins in the brain, called plaques. These plaques are made up of tiny pieces of protein, called peptides. There is still much to learn about how these peptides form and why they cause Alzheimer’s, but scientists think they may play a role in blocking communication between brain cells. This can lead to the death of brain cells, which may explain some of the symptoms of Alzheimer’s.
There is also evidence that a protein called tau may be involved in Alzheimer’s. Tau helps to keep brain cells healthy, but in people with Alzheimer’s it becomes damaged and forms tangles inside the cells. It’s not clear yet how these tangles contribute to the disease, but they may disrupt the cells’ ability to communicate with each other.
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