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Updated: Oct 16, 2025
Cell-based Assay to Study Antibody-mediated Tau Clearance by Microglia
Published on: November 9, 2018
Untangling the relationship between microglia and tau in Alzheimer's disease
Samantha M Rossano1, William Charles Kreisl1
1Taub Institute, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.
Abstract:
Autopsy and imaging studies have demonstrated a typical pattern of tau progression in Alzheimer's disease (AD), spreading to previously unaffected regions in an anatomical sequence of 'Braak' stages. In a recent study, Pascoal et al. provide evidence that microgliosis colocalizes with tau in a Braak-like pattern, furthering the notion that microglial activation is strongly related to the propagation of tangle pathology.
Insights
Microglial activation, or microgliosis, mirrors the spread of tau pathology in Alzheimer's disease (AD) following a Braak-like anatomical pattern. This suggests a strong link between microglial response and the progression of neurofibrillary tangles in AD.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Neuropathology
- Alzheimer's Disease Research
Background:
- Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by the progressive spread of tau pathology.
- The anatomical progression of tau pathology is often described by Braak staging.
- The role of neuroinflammation, specifically microglial activation, in AD pathogenesis is an area of active investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the spatial relationship between microgliosis and tau deposition in Alzheimer's disease.
- To determine if microglial activation follows a similar anatomical pattern to tau progression (Braak stages).
Main Methods:
- Utilized autopsy and advanced imaging studies to assess tau distribution and microglial markers.
- Correlated the patterns of tau pathology with the presence and distribution of activated microglia across different brain regions.
Main Results:
- Observed a distinct pattern of tau pathology consistent with Braak staging across autopsy and imaging data.
- Demonstrated that microgliosis colocalizes with tau pathology in a Braak-like anatomical sequence.
- Found significant overlap between regions with high tau burden and areas of intense microglial activation.
Conclusions:
- Microglial activation in Alzheimer's disease is not random but follows a predictable anatomical spread mirroring tau pathology.
- These findings support the hypothesis that microglial activation is intrinsically linked to the propagation and spread of tau tangles.
- Microglia may play a crucial role in the anatomical dissemination of Alzheimer's disease pathology.
