Leaky blood vessels in the brain can predict early onset of dementia, a new study says.vv. Previous studies have focused on the tell-tale plaques in the brain that form clumps, which smother and destroy neurons.   But researchers from the University of Southern California say that capillaries, the tiniest vessels in the body that link small arteries and veins, begin seeping years before the toxic proteins appear.

The team says that repairing them could slow down dementia from developing into Alzheimer's disease, and potentially even prevent the debilitating condition.

A new study had found that leaky blood vessels in the brain (pictured) can predict early onset of Alzheimer's faster than the presence of proteins 

In the brains of healthy adults, the walls of blood vessels are so tight that few to no foreign objects reach the organ.This is known as the blood-brain barrier. However, as we age, the blood vessels don't fit as tightly together, which may allow amyloid beta and tau to enter the brain.   These proteins smother neurons and lead to loss of memory and confusion.      READ MORE