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Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Researchers Zero In On Toxic Debris From Infections As Potential Cause Of Alzheimer's
In "an innovative and novel study," scientists will investigate the way the brain fights invaders: a defense response that could leave behind the plaque that is a hallmark of Alzheimer's.
Could it be that Alzheimer鈥檚 disease stems from the toxic remnants of the brain鈥檚 attempt to fight off infection? Provocative new research by a team of investigators at Harvard leads to this startling hypothesis, which could explain the origins of plaque, the mysterious hard little balls that pockmark the brains of people with Alzheimer鈥檚. It is still early days, but Alzheimer鈥檚 experts not associated with the work are captivated by the idea that infections, including ones that are too mild to elicit symptoms, may produce a fierce reaction that leaves debris in the brain, causing Alzheimer鈥檚. (Kolata, 5/25)
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