Half of all dementias start with damaged 'gatekeeper cells'

(University of Southern California) USC research sheds new light on how a breakdown in the brain's vascular system predates the accumulation of toxic plaques and tangles in the brain that bring about Alzheimer's disease. The research suggests an earlier target for preventing dementia and Alzheimer's. Nearly 50 percent of all dementias, including Alzheimer's, begins with the breakdown of the smallest blood vessels in the brain and their protective "gatekeeper cells."

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2E5vVrA