title: Tau is central in the genetic Alzheimer-frontotemporal dementia spectrum.
abstract: In contrast to the common and genetically complex senile form of Alzheimer's disease (AD), the molecular genetic dissection of inherited presenile dementias has given important mechanistic insights into the pathogenesis of degenerative brain disease. Here, we focus on recent genotype-phenotype correlative studies in presenile AD and the frontotemporal dementia (FTD) complex of disorders. Together, these studies suggest that AD and FTD are linked in a genetic spectrum of presenile degenerative brain disorders in which tau appears to be the central player.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Genetics (VIB 8), Flanders Interuniversity Institute for Biotechnology, Neurodegenerative Brain Diseases Group, University of Antwerp, Campus Drie Eiken, Universiteitsplein 1, B-2610 Antwerpen, Belgium.
authors.forename: Bart
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dermaut
authors.forename: Samir
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kumar-Singh
authors.forename: Rosa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rademakers
authors.forename: Jessie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Theuns
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cruts
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Van Broeckhoven
mesh_terms: D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D016564:Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D010641:Phenotype; D053764:Presenilin-1; D016875:tau Proteins
chemical_list: D016564:Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor; C054369:MAPT protein, human; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; C508853:PSEN1 protein, human; D053764:Presenilin-1; D016875:tau Proteins