Tau Protein News and Research

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Tau proteins are microtubule-associated proteins found in neurons in the brain.

Elevated tau in Long COVID patients raises risk for neurodegenerative diseases

A study of 227 individuals who experienced neuro cognitive difficulties post COVID-19 infection – such as headaches, vertigo, balance dysregulation, changes in taste/smell, and brain fog – displayed a significant increase in their blood plasma of a crucial protein called tau, which is found in nerves and especially in the brain.

19 Jan 2026

New blood biomarker tracks brain injury progression after ischemic stroke

A new blood marker reflects the extent of brain injury after an ischemic stroke and can predict patient outcomes months to years later.

15 Jan 2026

MIT researchers map dynamic fuzzy coat surrounding tau protein fibrils

One of the hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease is the clumping of proteins called Tau, which form tangled fibrils in the brain. The more severe the clumping, the more advanced the disease is.

14 Jan 2026

Restoring brain energy balance reverses advanced Alzheimer’s disease in mouse models

For over a century, Alzheimer's disease (AD) has been considered irreversible. Consequently, research has focused on disease prevention or slowing, rather than recovery.

6 Jan 2026

Restoring brain energy balance reverses Alzheimer’s disease in mouse models

For over a century, Alzheimer's disease (AD) has been considered irreversible. Consequently, research has focused on disease prevention or slowing, rather than recovery.

23 Dec 2025

Traumatic brain injury disrupts brain drainage and accelerates Alzheimer’s risk

University of Virginia School of Medicine researchers have uncovered how and why traumatic brain injury (TBI) increases the risk for Alzheimer's disease, and their work suggests a potential way to prevent that increased risk.

16 Dec 2025

Tau biology expands beyond microtubules to neurodegeneration, metabolism and mental illness

An Thought Leaders Invited Review published today in Genomic Psychiatry by Dr. Peng Lei and colleagues presents a sweeping synthesis of tau protein research that fundamentally reframes our understanding of this molecule's dual identity.

16 Dec 2025

New molecular ruler enables precise measurement of toxic Tau fibrils in fluid samples

Researchers have developed a new tool, FibrilPaint combined with the FibrilRuler test, that allows scientists to directly measure the length of toxic Tau amyloid fibrils in tiny fluid samples, from the earliest aggregation stages to mature fibrils and even at very low concentrations.

11 Dec 2025

Shingles vaccination is linked to fewer dementia diagnoses and deaths in older adults

A large quasi-experimental study in Wales shows that eligibility for shingles vaccination is linked to fewer new mild cognitive impairment diagnoses and lower dementia-related mortality. Benefits appear strongest in women and are observed at multiple stages of the dementia disease course.

7 Dec 2025

Changes in brain fats play a key role in Alzheimer's development and progression

More than a century ago, Alois Alzheimer noted unusual changes in brain fats, which he described as "lipoid granules," along with the buildup of amyloid-beta (amyloid) plaques and tau protein tangles.

20 Nov 2025

Polymer physics offers fresh perspectives on neurodegenerative diseases

Researchers from Tokyo Metropolitan University have applied ideas from polymer physics to illuminate the mechanism behind a key pathology in Alzheimer's disease, the formation of fibrils of tau proteins.

17 Nov 2025

Targeting RNA splicing errors protects against tau-induced neurodegeneration

Alzheimer's Disease (AD), the leading cause of dementia, affects nearly 40 million individuals globally, resulting in a gradual loss of memory and independence. Despite extensive research over the past decades, no treatments have been found that can halt or reverse the progression of this devastating disease.

11 Nov 2025

Newly identified microglia subtype offers protection against Alzheimer’s disease

In Alzheimer's disease, the leading cause of dementia, microglia-the brain's immune defenders-can act as both protectors and aggressors, shaping how the disease progresses.

5 Nov 2025

Football hits leave lasting brain changes

Recent MRI research reveals how repeated football head impacts reshape brain structures, offering insights into chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) risk.

30 Oct 2025

Subtle brain changes in football players could predict the risk of chronic traumatic encephalopathy

Brain scans from American football players reveal subtle differences in the brain's outer grooves when compared to scans from otherwise healthy men who never played contact or collision sports, a new study shows.

28 Oct 2025

Nasal spray of gold nanoparticles delivers lithium directly to the brain

In the form of a 'nasal spray', tiny gold particles act as carriers, delivering a treatment directly to the brain: developed by scientists at the Università Cattolica Rome campus/Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, a new nanotechnological device for the treatment and prevention of neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative diseases.

8 Oct 2025