In their latest study, published in the esteemed scientific journal Nature, the researchers at Genentech of South San Francisco and the Salk Institute of La Jolla have mentioned a new "clue" that could be a diagnostic sign of Alzheimer's disease - a disparaging neurodegenerative medical condition.

Paving the way for newer strategies for combating the disease, the researchers said that a baffling amyloid-producing protein, APP, which is the apparent offender in the case of the brain disorder, possibly breaks down into components that lead to self-destruction of nerve cells.

One of the protein's components, the amyloid beta peptide, creates amyloid clusters that stockpile in the brains of Alzheimer's patients, giving a free rein to a flurry of damaging effects on nerve cells, leading to brain cell death and dementia.

The cell culture experiments by researchers reveal that components of the APP connect to something called 'death receptor 6' on brain cells, which prompts nerve cells to die or wither. Blocking 'death receptor 6' prevents the cells from withering, even in the presence of APP.

Though quite a few companies are putting in efforts to develop amyloid-busting drugs, trial results have yielded mixed results thus far. While Myriad Genetics drug failed completely, the final-stage trails of Wyeth and Elan's potential drug are on, as are the workings on an anti-amloid drug by Eli Lilly and Pfizer! (Harkiran contributed to this report)