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Could the cause of brain degeneration be hidden in plain sight? More than 40 years ago, scientists noticed differences in the mitochondria of Alzheimer’s patients. These cellular powerhouses, which pump out the energy needed for normal cognitive function, were less present in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients, and the remaining mitochondria appeared deformed.
Despite these intriguing findings, scientists continued to focus on the now-infamous amyloid theory of Alzheimer’s disease, in which cell debris called plaques and tangles were thought to underlie the condition. But decades of failed trials have brought researchers back…
