TAU AS A MARKER FOR ALZHEIMERS-DISEASE

Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is an age-related dementia that has received increasing attention in recent years. The disease appears to be specif ic for humans and, moreover, its causes are unknown. Studies of the di sease are complicated by the fact that a reliable diagnosis depends on post-mortem analysis of brain tissue, and useful animal or cell model s are not yet available. This article discusses the possibility of usi ng tau (a protein associated with the neurofibrillary tangles that are an indicator of AD) as a tool for further pursuing the diagnosis and treatment of the disease.