Unique tau filament structures discovered in head-injury associated dementia

Researchers from Medical Research Council (MRC; London, UK) have discovered the atomic structures of abnormal tau filaments related to chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). The team also found that these tau structures are different from those found in Alzheimer’s disease. Two years ago, the research team discovered the atomic structures of the tau filaments which contribute to Alzheimer’s disease, for the first time. Similar to Alzheimer’s, CTE is also associated with the abnormal build-up of tau protein in the brain, meaning the team was able to use the same technique to determine the unique structure of tau filaments in CTE. In...