How abnormal tau protein disrupts tiny protein factories in brain connections that support memory
Official title: Impaired activity-dependent protein synthesis in dendrites and pathophysiology in tauopathy
Funded at Buck Institute for Research on Aging · NIH-11139494 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at whether abnormal tau protein stops local protein production in nerve cell branches, which may help explain memory loss in people with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Buck Institute for Research on Aging NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Novato, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2021 |
| Project end | July 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $771,040 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AG070193-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11139494 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People living with Alzheimer’s disease or related dementias, and those interested in research on disease mechanisms, are the patient groups most connected to this work.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with conditions unrelated to Alzheimer’s disease or those seeking immediate treatment changes are unlikely to see direct benefits from this basic lab-focused research.
What this research studies
Researchers are examining how pathogenic tau interferes with the local production of proteins in dendrites, the tiny branches of neurons that strengthen connections during memory formation. Using lab and animal models tied to Alzheimer’s disease, they focus on the molecular steps that start protein synthesis at synapses and how tau disrupts those steps. The team will study changes in long-term potentiation (LTP), a key process for memory, and the role of a specific translation-initiation factor that appears reduced when tau is present. Findings aim to reveal mechanisms that could be targeted to protect synaptic plasticity and memory.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new targets that protect the protein-making process in neurons and help preserve memory in Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.
How similar studies have gone: Previous animal and laboratory studies have linked pathogenic tau to impaired synaptic plasticity and memory problems, but targeting dendritic, activity-dependent protein synthesis is a relatively new and developing approach.
Where this research is happening
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Buck Institute for Research on Aging
Novato, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Tracy, Tara — Buck Institute for Research on Aging
- Study coordinator: Tracy, Tara
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.