''Although the causes of Alzheimer’s disease remain a mystery, scientists know that proteins tend to clump in affected brains. One protein, amyloid beta, accumulates in dense plaques outside neurons, while another, tau, forms "tangles" within the cells. These changes gradually cause brain cells to stop working normally and eventually to die. Many of the rare early cases occur because mutations in one of three genes alter how amyloid is processed or formed. Researchers have found that a particular variant of the gene for apolipoprotein E is a major risk factor for late-onset disease.
Alzheimer’s and other dementias can be difficult to diagnosis, because initial symptoms are mild and some memory loss is a normal result of aging. Doctors can diagnose the condition based on patient histories and observations. Recently, neuroscientists developed a specialized brain scan that detects amyloid plaques and can confirm a clinical diagnosis..''
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