New mouse model of tau propagation

Accumulation of assembled tau protein in the central nervous system is characteristic of Alzheimer’s disease and several other neurodegenerative diseases, called tauopathies. Researchers have now established a new mouse model of tau accumulation and propagation in brain. Single intracerebral injection of synthetic tau filaments induced by dextran sulphate into wild-type mice caused seeding of endogenous tau, followed by spreading to distinct areas in a time-dependent manner.