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The Molecular Parameters of Tau Pathology

Tau as a killer and a witness

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Neuropathology and Genetics of Dementia

Part of the book series: Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology ((AEMB,volume 487))

Abstract

Tau proteins are markers of different pathological conditions, such as hypoxia, different types of stress and degenerative processes observed in nerve cells, glial cells or muscle fibers. Tau proteins are the basic components of the pathological filaments that accumulate in neurons and glial cells affected by neurofibrillary degeneration’. Tau pathology is observed in more than 20 different diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD), progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), corticobasal degeneration (CBD), Pick’s disease (PiD), myotonic dystrophy (MyoD), familial frontotemporal dementias with Parkinsonism associated to chromosome 17 (FTDP-17), etc. Tau is an outstanding marker well correlated with clinical manifestations. Indeed, pathological tau proteins observed in the association neocortical areas are systematically associated with dementia. Together, tau pathology reveals precisely the intensity and the extent of the degenerating process. This pathological entity can be defined according to 6 different molecular parameters that are presented here.

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Delacourte, A. (2001). The Molecular Parameters of Tau Pathology. In: Tolnay, M., Probst, A. (eds) Neuropathology and Genetics of Dementia. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, vol 487. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-1249-3_2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-1249-3_2

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4613-5461-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4615-1249-3

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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