A new research revealed some of the complex mechanisms behind the plaques in the brain which are the trademark of Alzheimer’s. The fatal disease of brain accompanied by confusion, memory loss and finally makes oneself unable to care for him.

The researchers studied the brains of mice, having Alzheimer’s like plaques in the brain, with the help of an advanced optical imaging technique. They found that the same proteins (prions) in mice, which are known for playing havoc in the diseases of mad cow and Creutzfeldt-Jakob, hit by amyloid beta that made them toxic.

It was observed that a star-shaped type of brain cell (astrocytes), which helped in the normal functioning of the brain, turned to hyperactivity in the presence of amyloid plaques.

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