Abnormal tangles in the brain associated with Alzheimer's disease were found in mice that were fed junk food for nine months.

A new study indicates diets high in fat, sugar and cholesterol, combined with genetic factors, can increase the risk for the illness that leads to dementia.

Much research for treating Alzheimer's has centered on removing a protein that forms plaques in the brain.  However, scientists are now looking at way to combat the tangles that develop in the brain as a result of the disease.

The study in Sweden focused on a gene variant related to transporting cholesterol and is found in 15% to 20% of people. The gene is a known risk factor for the development of Alzheimer's.

Alzheimer's disease is currently incurable and affects regions of the brain associated with thought, language and memory.