The protein known as amyloid is seen as a problem in the human body. When it collects in organs, the organs generally function less well.
The presence of amyloid in the brain has long been seen as a likely contributor to memory loss and dementia. But research out of the Stowers Institute for Medical Research could turn the usual thinking on its head.
The research indicates that amyloid may stabilize memory, and be necessary for the proper function of nerve cells. Kausik Si, head of the Si Lab at Stowers, visits with details.