New research has found that tau, a protein widely associated with Alzheimer’s disease, also plays an important role in forming lasting memories, according to ScienceDaily.
The study was led by Flinders University in collaboration with researchers at the University of New South Wales and Macquarie University, and was published in Nature Communications. In mouse experiments, the team found that tau helps organize and stabilize memories so they can be retained over time.
Researchers looked at what is known as remote memory, or memories recalled days or weeks after an event. They found tau was not needed for learning something new or remembering it shortly after, but it was important for making those memories durable in the long term.
The team also found that tau helps select which engram cells store a memory and reduces background brain activity during memory formation. While the findings were made in mice and cannot be directly applied to humans, the researchers say the work may help guide future dementia studies and treatment ideas.
