According to the proposal, called the amyloid hypothesis, Alzheimer's disease, estimated to affect more than 5 million people in the United States alone, is caused by abnormal buildup of A-beta protein in the brain. (sciencenews.org)
People with the transthyretin amyloidosis have mutations in the DNA of the transthyretin gene, which causes abnormal buildup and deposits of a transport protein called transthyretin in nerve and heart cells. (sciencedaily.com)
All these diseases share a common feature: abnormal buildup of a protein called tau in the brains of patients. (scientificamerican.com)