Tag Archives: tauopathy

7-27-2011

Finding Treatments, One at a Time

UCSF MAC

A new clinical trial for people with progressive supranuclear palsy may open the door for other treatments

Progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) is a degenerative brain disease leading to difficulties with walking and balance, problems with eye movements, changes in behavior and executive control, difficulty with speech and swallowing, and dementia. PSP, corticobasal degeneration (CBD) and some of the frontotemporal dementias (FTD) are tauopathies—diseases associated with the abnormal accumulation of the protein tau. It is likely that whether one presents with PSP, CBD or FTD depends in part on the location in the brain of these microscopic changes, although individual differences may play an important role as well. Read more

7-27-2011

Seeing the Data with New Eyes

UCSF MAC

The data suggest that it is time to redefine the clinical diagnosis of corticobasal degeneration

Corticobasal degeneration (CBD) is a progressive neurological disorder first described in 1968 by Rebeiz, Richardson and Kolodny. Yet, only recently has there been a systematic effort to reliably diagnose this condition. Nothing can be more discouraging than to have a loved one misdiagnosed during life. Furthermore, it is now known that CBD is caused by abnormal accumulations of the protein tau and, as disease-specific therapies are emerging, getting the right diagnosis has become critically important. Read more

1-4-2011

Unfolding the Role of Tau

UCSF MAC

The pathological hallmark of tauopathies still holds mysteries

Normal tau protein is found in the axons of healthy neurons and is critical to the healthy functioning of a normal nervous system. It stabilizes the microtubules that form the supportive framework of the neuron and provide the tracks for oxygen proteins and glucose to move within the neuron. Changes in the tau protein can lead to instability in the microtubules, which makes it difficult for neurons to survive.
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