the cause of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases has long intrigued scientists. Researchers of University of Warwick and iit, Kanpur, zeroed in on a protein, the malfunctioning of which, they say, could be a possible cause for the diseases.

The study noted that transferrin, a protein that transports iron from the blood to the brain, may not be doing its job well. That may lead to exposure of other cells to iron, and their subsequent degeneration and the diseases. The protein binds iron on to its surface. It then curls around the iron and seals it. This prevents the iron from getting exposed to other cells till it reaches its destination organ