Plaques in the brain are behind Alzheimer's
Plaques in the brain are behind Alzheimer’s
Juan Gaertner/Science Photo Library

It’s a double-edged sword. The protein plaques in the brain associated with Alzheimer’s disease could be created as our immune system fights off invading microbes.
Alzheimer’s disease has long been linked to the accumulation of sticky plaques of beta-amyloid proteins in the brain, but their function – if any – has remained unclear.