*2.6.5 Tau-based therapies*

Tau is a microtubule-associated protein and the MAPT gene encodes tau. Assembling microtubules and regulating axonal transport are various functions of tau. It is proven that hyperphosphorylated tau causes disruption of mitochondrial respiration and axonal transport. It should be emphasized that tau hyperphosphorylation is also considered as a pathologic sign of other neurodegenerative diseases, including, frontotemporal dementia with parkinsonism (FTD-P), corticobasal degeneration, progressive supranuclear palsy and Pick disease. Mutations of tau encoded MAPT1 gene causes FTD-P. Therefore neurodegeneration without amyloid deposition can be driven by tau dysfunction. Tau-based therapies are still at conceptual stages and include passive immunization against tau, preventing tau hyperphosphorylation and anti-aggregates of tau. Methylthioninium chloride and lithium are some of the elements with current studies. There are also some experiments ongoing about anti-tau vaccines at AD [19].
