Once the memory-robbing protein complex is better understood, drugs might be developed to cure Alzheimer's disease. Currently about 4.5 million Americans live with Alzheimer's -- a number that's expected to rise to 14 million during the next two decades.

A research team that included members from Johns Hopkins University, the University of Minnesota, the University of Southern California, and the University of California-Irvine, say their discovery gives drug developers a target for creating medications to treat memory loss in patients with dementia.

"Now that we have found a protein complex that causes cognitive decline and loss of memory, we will be able to aim our investigations not only to learning how that substance is implicated in disease, but also toward prevention," said Professor Michela Gallagher, chairwoman of the department of psychological and brain sciences at Johns Hopkins.

More specifically, researchers say once the memory-robbing protein complex is better understood, drugs might be developed to cure Alzheimer's disease. Currently about 4.5 million Americans live with Alzheimer's -- a number that's expected to rise to 14 million during the next two decades.

The research appears in the March 16 issue of the journal Nature.