Researchers at Columbia University have identified a neuron-specific protein disposal system called the membranal proteasome that appears linked to the formation of tau tangles — a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease. Unlike inherited forms of the disease where tau carries a mutation, most Alzheimer's cases involve normal tau that somehow misfolds and accumulates. This study, published in Nature Neuroscience, sheds light on why that happens. Understanding how neurons manage protein cleanup — and what goes wrong with age — could open new pathways for early intervention in Alzheimer's and related brain diseases, offering hope for therapies that target proteostasis before symptoms emerge.
