Untangling the relationship between microglia and tau in Alzheimer's disease

Trends Neurosci. 2021 Dec;44(12):927-929. doi: 10.1016/j.tins.2021.10.002. Epub 2021 Oct 18.

Abstract

Autopsy and imaging studies have demonstrated a typical pattern of tau progression in Alzheimer's disease (AD), spreading to previously unaffected regions in an anatomical sequence of 'Braak' stages. In a recent study, Pascoal et al. provide evidence that microgliosis colocalizes with tau in a Braak-like pattern, furthering the notion that microglial activation is strongly related to the propagation of tangle pathology.

Keywords: Braak staging; PET imaging; neuroinflammation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Alzheimer Disease* / pathology
  • Humans
  • Microglia*
  • Neurofibrillary Tangles / pathology
  • tau Proteins

Substances

  • tau Proteins