Neurofibrillary tangles
Neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) are aggregates of hyperphosphorylated tau protein that are most commonly known as a primary marker of Alzheimer's disease. Their presence is also found in numerous other diseases known as tauopathies. Little is known about their exact relationship to the different pathologies.
Structure and composition[edit | edit source]
Neurofibrillary tangles are composed of a highly phosphorylated form of tau protein. Tau proteins stabilize microtubules in the brain and nervous system. In Alzheimer's disease, however, tau protein undergoes chemical changes, becoming hyperphosphorylated, and begins to pair with other threads, creating tangles of tau proteins, leading to the microtubules disintegrating.
Role in Alzheimer's disease[edit | edit source]
Neurofibrillary tangles are one of the characteristic structural abnormalities found in the brains of Alzheimer patients. Tangles are found inside the neurons of the brain, and they are formed by the disintegration of a protein known as tau.
Role in other diseases[edit | edit source]
In addition to Alzheimer's disease, neurofibrillary tangles are also found in several other types of dementia, such as Pick's disease, Dementia pugilistica, and Parkinson's disease. These diseases, along with Alzheimer's, are classified as tauopathies due to the presence of pathological tau protein.
See also[edit | edit source]
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Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD
