Alzheimer Clue: Busy brain connections may have downside
By Nathan Seppa
Brain areas that are chronically activated produce increased amounts of amyloid beta, the waxy protein implicated in Alzheimer’s disease, a study in mice shows.
The work comes on the heels of a report, released 5 months ago, showing that brain areas switched on during daydreaming in young, healthy adults are largely the same spots found to be damaged in Alzheimer’s patients. Combined, the studies suggest that steady activity in certain parts of the brain can contribute to the disease.