Brain research has pointed to plaques (or build-ups) made up of a sticky protein called amyloid as a likely root cause of nerve cell death in Alzheimer's. (For more, see: Causes of AD)
A great deal of attention is now focused on understanding what causes the unnatural build-up of amyloid. This information will help brain scientists learn how to stop or slow the processes that cause amyloid plaque to form.
One strategy is to develop an Alzheimer's vaccine that attacks amyloid plaques and marks them for removal by the brain's own clean-up system. Early tests of the vaccine in animals show that it could successfully prevent and reduce amyloid deposits.
These preliminary results have raised hopes that Alzheimer's disease might be reversible. Although the first trial of the vaccine in humans was discontinued because some patients developed inflammation of the brain, plans for a trial of a modified vaccine are in progress.
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