Microtubule-associated protein tau (MAPT)

Where the papers sit

11 papers from the last 6 months study Microtubule-associated protein tau (MAPT) directly · updated from PubMed 1 Oct 2026

• Tau Splicing and 4R Pathology

  Tau isoform balance, especially the 3R/4R ratio and excess 4R tau, is central to disease biology across Alzheimer's disease and 4R tauopathies. Truncated and post-translationally modified species are being treated as functionally relevant rather than passive markers. MAPT splicing modulators are moving toward lowering 4R tau and rescuing neuronal phenotypes in human cells and models. Single-cell biomarker work and chemical-space workflows support mechanism discovery, but the link between isoform correction and clinical benefit remains unresolved.

  4 papers · 36.4%

• Alzheimer's Biomarker Imaging

  Tau pathology is increasingly interpreted alongside amyloid-β, cerebral blood flow, and white-matter injury across the Alzheimer's disease spectrum. Longitudinal biomarker validation and multimodal imaging are being used to define how these signals relate to disease stage. Machine-learning classifiers aim to identify tau status, particularly in amyloid-positive cohorts, while donepezil-derived ligands pursue multi-target treatment. The field still lacks a settled account of whether vascular abnormalities modify or merely accompany tau and amyloid progression.

  4 papers · 36.4%

• Tau Neurodegeneration and Cognition

  Tau-associated neurodegeneration is being linked to neuroinflammation, kinase signaling, and measurable cognitive decline. Aluminum-induced impairment work highlights ERK/MAPK modulation and tau immunoexpression as possible intervention points. Drug discovery is moving toward multitarget kinase inhibitors, including machine-learning and structure-guided screening. Clinical momentum is shifting toward tau-directed therapies, but whether these approaches improve working memory and disease progression remains open.

  3 papers · 27.3%