Plaques of amyloid beta protein and tangles of tau protein are the two most recognized manifestations of Alzheimer’s disease.

But the disease also features inflammation — which is also recognized as the principal driver of heart disease.

Immune cells called microglia — the neural cousins of pathogen-eating microphages in the bloodstream (which are signs of inflammation) — are found among the plaques and dying brain cells in Alzheimer’s.

Traditionally viewed as helpful, scientists now wonder if those microglia are harming healthy brain cells and accelerating the disease process.

Heart disease risk factors, including belly fat, high cholesterol, and diabetes, increase the risk of chronic bodily inflammation, so this finding provides more ammunition for eating a heart-healthy diet.