In a surprising turn of events, a researcher has uncovered potential fraud in an entire body of research that has long suggested that amyloid plaques are behind Alzheimer’s disease. If the investigator’s findings turn out to be accurate, it means that millions of dollars in research have pointed for years in the wrong direction. Worse, in my opinion, is that misleading research means lives potentially have been lost due to breakthroughs that never happened.

If these allegations of fraud are true, perhaps more research funding will go toward the theory that Alzheimer’s is the result of what is called “Type Three Diabetes,” which may be lifestyle-related and, therefore, preventable. You may read about Type Three Diabetes and Alzheimer’s in an article from the Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology.

You can read the twists and turns of the potential discovery of fraud on the Nature website.