Attenuating Aß-driven hyperexcitability and tau spread

Alzheimer's disease is characterized by the build-up of the beta-amyloid (Aβ) protein into'plaques'; and the tau protein into'tangles'; in the brain. Recent evidence suggests that abnormal tau protein can move from one nerve cell to another, possibly contributing to the progression of brain changes associated with Alzheimer's disease. While research has focused on the patterns of tau accumulation in different brain regions associated with cognitive function, the actual mechanisms that initially trigger the movement of tau between nerve cells are not known.