Infection Defense May Spur Alzheimer¹s

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....a protein called beta amyloid, or A-beta, piles up into tough plaques

that destroy signals between nerves. When that happens, people lose their

memory, their personality changes and they stop recognizing friends and

family.

... But now researchers at Harvard suggest that the protein has a real and

unexpected function ‹ it may be part of the brain¹s normal defenses against

invading bacteria and other microbes.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/09/health/09alzh.html?hp