The early stages of Alzheimer's disease often involve an insidious decline in short-term memory , along with mounting challenges such as mood swings , disorientation, and difficulty concentrating.

As the disease progresses, these effects can weigh heavily on patients as well as loved ones. In some cases, family and friends may begin noticing signs of one especially cruel symptom: the loss of social memory, which robs patients of their ability to recognize familiar people.

A new study on mice by scientists from the University of Virginia School of Medicine and Virginia Tech has found that disruptions in specialized structures that support junctions between neurons may play a critical role in this gradual loss of memory.

"Finding a structural change that explains a specific memory l

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