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Updated: Mar 24, 2026
09:22
In Vitro Aggregation Assays Using Hyperphosphorylated Tau Protein
Published on: January 2, 2015
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Is Huntington's disease a tauopathy?
Maud Gratuze1, Giulia Cisbani1, Francesca Cicchetti1
1Faculté de Médecine, département de Psychiatrie et Neurosciences, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec, Axe Neurosciences, Québec, QC, Canada.
Brain : a Journal of Neurology
|March 13, 2016
Summary
Huntington's disease may be a tauopathy. Research suggests mutant huntingtin protein affects tau, leading to aggregated tau inclusions in the brain, similar to other tauopathies.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Genetics
- Pathology
Background:
- Tauopathies are neurodegenerative diseases characterized by abnormal tau protein aggregation.
- Huntington's disease (HD) is a monogenic neurodegenerative disorder with motor, cognitive, and psychiatric symptoms.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review evidence suggesting Huntington's disease may be a tauopathy.
- To explore the relationship between mutant huntingtin and tau pathology.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing scientific literature and case reports.
- Analysis of studies on tau pathology in Huntington's disease patients.
Main Results:
- Patients with Huntington's disease exhibit aggregated tau inclusions in the brain.
- Tau haplotype impacts cognitive function in Huntington's disease patients.
- Mutant huntingtin protein may influence tau splicing, phosphorylation, and aggregation.
Conclusions:
- Emerging evidence supports classifying Huntington's disease as a tauopathy.
- Further research is warranted to elucidate the precise mechanisms linking HD and tau pathology.
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