Long maligned for turning healthy children into fat psychopaths, videogames are at last contributing something positive to society by leading the fight against Alzheimer's Disease.

Working at the Mayo Clinic in Florida, researchers have discovered that an insulin-degrading enzyme nicknamed "Pac-Man" may also function as an effective treatment for the deadly degenerative dementia by neutralizing the amyloid proteins associated with its onset. According to Rebecca Wood, chief executive of the Alzheimer's Research Trust, the enzyme works by "gobbling up" said proteins in much the same way as Pac-Man gobbled up fruit and ghosts in his eponymous arcade debut.

However, when asked if videogames were at all relevant to the breakthrough in something other than the most superficial way imaginable, Wood responded: "No, it's just a name. But don't let that stop you talking about it on your internet blogs. I know how desperate you people are for content."

Pac-Man copyright holders Namco-Bandai have yet to announce when they're going to sue the Mayo Clinic out of existence, though sources close to the company expect it will be within the coming month.

(Thanks, Joystiq!)