Prior Military Service Linked To Higher Risk Of Alzheimer’s Disease

Military veterans had higher levels of two abnormal proteins considered hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease: amyloid plaques and abnormal tau proteins, according to post-mortem analysis of brains donated to Alzheimer’s research. Military veterans were 26% more likely to have amyloid plaques than non-veterans. The veterans had 10% higher odds of having abnormal tau proteins.

Amyloid;plaques;form in the brains of people who have;Alzheimer's;and can lead to problems with brain function, and begin as strings of amino acids called;amyloid-β (Aβ) peptides. Also, the irregular buildup of tau protein . . .