phosphorylated tau

Phosphorylated tau is a form of a protein called tau that has added phosphate groups. Tau naturally helps stabilize parts of nerve cells called microtubules, which act like cellular highways. When tau becomes excessively phosphorylated, it changes shape and can clump together, forming sticky, tangled structures inside brain cells. These abnormal accumulations are associated with neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s, where they disrupt normal cell function and contribute to memory loss and cognitive decline. Studying phosphorylated tau helps researchers understand and potentially find ways to treat these conditions.