Washington DC, July 17 -- A surprising new study has uncovered over 200 misfolded proteins in the brains of aging rats with cognitive decline, beyond the infamous amyloid and tau plaques long blamed for Alzheimer's.

These shape-shifting proteins don't clump into visible plaques, making them harder to detect but potentially just as harmful.

Scientists believe these "stealth" molecules could evade the brain's cleanup systems and quietly impair memory and brain function.

The discovery opens a new frontier in understanding dementia and could lead to entirely new targets for treatment and prevention.

Johns Hopkins University researchers have identified more than 200 types of misfolded proteins in rats that could be associated with age-rela...