Results May Disappoint, But Don't Throw In The Tau On Treatments For Alzheimer's Disease

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is an irreversible degeneration of the brain and the most common form of dementia. Globally, more than 50 million people are living with AD, and without a medical intervention those rates could more than triple by 2050. AD is marked by two main detectable changes in the brain: plaques resulting from the accumulation of the protein fragment beta-amyloid that form outside neurons; and tangles, accumulations of an abnormal form of the protein tau that collect inside neurons. These changes disrupt neuronal function and contribute to gradual damage to brain tissue. These formations can be identified and monitored by observing changes in levels of beta-amyloid and tau in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and positron emission tomography (PET) scans.