During the course of Alzheimer's disease, protein fibrils appear in the spinal fluid of affected individuals. Empa researchers, together with the Department of Neurology at the Cantonal Hospital St.Gallen, have now visualized the wide spectrum of protein aggregates from oligomers, protofibrils to fibrils in the spinal fluid. The conclusion: Ultra-long protein fibrils are a signature of severe Alzheimer’s disease. The study, recently published in the journal Communications Biology, sheds light into the delicate role of protein aggregation in the development of Alzheimer's disease and is expected to improve early detection of dementia. Link to the publication.