Brain's immune cells could help slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease

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BOSTON -- Doctors may one day be able to enlist the help of a person's own system to slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease.

The brain has its own immune cells called microglia and they can destroy damaged cells, viruses, and other infectious agents.

Researchers at Lund University in Sweden have discovered that these same immune cells can inhibit the buildup of a toxic protein, tau, found in the brains of people with early Alzheimer's disease.

These cells may also be able to eat the toxic protein, in essence acting as a clean-up crew in the brain.

Scientists hope drugs can be developed to stimulate these immune cells to rid the brain of toxic proteins and in turn, slow the progression of early Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer's Disease

Mallika Marshall, MD

Mallika Marshall, MD is an Emmy-award-winning journalist and physician who has served as the HealthWatch Reporter for CBS Boston/WBZ-TV for over 20 years. A practicing physician Board Certified in both Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Dr. Marshall serves on staff at Harvard Medical School and practices at Massachusetts General Hospital at the MGH Chelsea Urgent Care and the MGH Revere Health Center, where she is currently working on the frontlines caring for patients with COVID-19. She is also a host and contributing editor for Harvard Health Publications (HHP), the publishing division of Harvard Medical School.

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