Alzheimer's disease brain tissue. Light micrograph of a section through the brain of a person with Alzheimer's disease. Amyloid plaques (dark brown clumps such as at upper right and lower centre) are characteristic of this disease. Other typical features are neurofibrillary tangles (not seen), masses of thickened filaments in the cytoplasm of nerve cells. The plaques and tangles disrupt the normal functioning of the brain, causing a form of dementia with memory loss, confusion and a loss of coordination. There is no cure, and death occurs after several years of decline. Magnification: x200 at 5x7cm size. For a light micrograph of healthy brain tissue see image P360/212.