plaque and tangles

Plaques and tangles are distinctive features found in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s disease. Plaques are sticky clumps made of a protein called beta-amyloid that accumulate between brain cells, disrupting communication. Tangles are twisted fibers of a protein called tau that form inside neurons, impairing their function and leading to cell death. Together, plaques and tangles interfere with normal brain activity, gradually causing memory loss, confusion, and cognitive decline characteristic of Alzheimer’s. Their presence and buildup are key markers in diagnosing and understanding the progression of the disease.