Oligomers, which are considered more toxic to brain tissue than amyloid-beta proteins, were applied to the hippocampus, the brain's memory center, in young mice.
Access to stimulating activities appeared to block the harmful effects of oligomers on the cellular mechanisms underlying learning and memory, called long-term potentiation (LTP), researchers said.
Harvard University researchers conducted experiments on mice using oligomers, a soluble form of amyloid-beta protein, which is the key compound in brain plaque and a hallmark of Alzheimer's.