The Fibers That Slow Down the Brain

Dr. Wei-Feng Xue

Proteins are little molecular machines that make our minds and bodies tick, but when their parts pile up they might gum up the works. These strings, known as amyloid fibrils — seen here in a lab sample created on mica — form when leftover pieces of protein chain together. Excess strands can clump into plaques, which are associated with a range of diseases including Alzheimer’s disease, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (mad cow), and Parkinson’s disease — although researchers aren’t sure whether the fibrils are a cause or a side effect. 

Billionths of a meter thick yet tough as silk or steel, the unwanted threads are hard to destroy. Fortunately, your brain may have a natural way of clearing out the variety linked with Alzheimer’s disease: a good night’s sleep. The flow of fluids in the heads of mice, for instance, increases while dozing, literally flushing away amyloid fibrils. And in humans, staying awake for 31 hours straight appears to cause a five percent buildup.

About the Author

Charlie Wood

Charlie Wood is a science writer with a bachelor’s degree in physics from Brown University and a master’s degree in science journalism from New York University. In previous lives he taught physics in Mozambique and English in Japan, but these days he freelances from his home in New York.