A harmful form of the tau protein, which builds up in Alzheimer’s disease and similar brain disorders, can directly damage blood vessels in the brain, according to a new study by researchers at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University. It does this by changing how the cells lining the blood vessels produce energy, which leads to inflammation and makes the blood-brain barrier – the brain's protective shield – weaker.

The discovery, reported online in Alzheimer’s & Dementia, the journal of the Alzheimer’s Association, uncovers a novel molecular mechanism that potentially explains tau-mediated vascular dysfunction in the brain and highlights the importance of focusing on early neurovascular changes mediated by tau to help prevent or slow down damage to the blood-brain barrier in Alzheimer’s disease.

More Americans are beating cancer than ever, yet many still grapple with treatment’s long shadow — especially on their mental health.

A new Northwestern Medicine study found most head-and-neck cancer survivors who underwent radiation don’t know about “survivorship care,” even as many grapple with side effects such as lingering dry mouth, swallowing problems and psychological distress.