Tau aggregates possibly compromise neuronal health in the C. elegans model of Alzheimer’s disease

Abstract

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common degenerative brain disease in the aged population [1]. By 2050, AD prevalence is expected to increase from 4.7 million (based on 2010 census) to 13.8 million people [2]. It is characterized by the progressive decline of cognition and memory, as well as changes in behavior and personality [1]. Pathological hallmarks of AD include mainly formation of senile plaques consisting of amyloid-beta (Aβ) peptide in the intercellular space and neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) in the cell bodies, which are primarily composed of abnormally modified tau protein [3].