Alzheimer’s is the most common cause of dementia among older adults.Two abnormal structures called plaques and tangles are prime suspects in damaging and killing nerve cells.

1. Plaques are deposits of a protein fragment called beta-amyloid (BAY-tuh AM-uh-loyd) that build up in the spaces between nerve cells.
2. Tangles are twisted fibers of another protein called tau (rhymes with “wow”) that build up inside cells.