An international team of researchers, led by scientists at Aberdeen University in Scotland, discovered a link between Alzheimer’s disease and epilepsy.

Study leader Tibor Harkany said the researchers discovered that the beta-amyloid protein — a key component of the plaques that clog the brain of an Alzheimer’s patient — causes cells to short-circuit and fire too many electrical signals, the Scotsman reported.

The overly sensitive nerve cells lose their ability to communicate coherently with other nerve cells, making Alzheimer’s patients more susceptible to seizures, the researchers said.

It’s estimated that one-third of Alzheimer’s patients suffer from some degree of epilepsy, the researcher said.

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