BIRDS OF A FEATHER

THE amazing things birds could teach us about human health. This week: Woodpeckers and dementia

THE head-banging habits of the woodpecker make it ideal for dementia and brain injury research. The birds experience forces of up to 3lb on their head each time they peck.

A Boston University study this year revealed that their brains contained accumulations of the protein tau, which has also been found in the brains of patients with chronic traumatic encephalopathy — a type of dementia associated with repeated blows to the head and common in footballers.

One key issue is whether the birds have ways of dissolving excess tau, which could have potential for dementia treatment in humans.