Some People Seem to Be Immune to Damaging Alzheimer Plaques in The Brain, and Now We Might Know Why

A new study published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease has identified a protein signature in the brains of people with accumulated plaques but no dementia that appears to stop plaques congesting communication channels between neurons, reports ScienceAlert . Researchers analyzed frozen brain tissue donated by volunteers in brain aging studies. They found 15 distinct proteins that set this group of people apart from those with plaque and tau accumulation that do develop Alzheimer's, and those without any brain blockages or dementia. "We don't yet fully understand the exact mechanisms responsible for this protection," says the University of Texas' Giulio Taglialatela. "Understanding such protective biological processes could reveal new targets for developing effective Alzheimer's treatments." Later studies will have to more closely investigate why this protein signature has the effect it does, and what creates the combination of proteins in the first place.