Neurofibrillary Tangles

Neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) are aggregates of twisted proteins found in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative diseases. NFTs are composed of the protein tau, which normally forms a scaffolding inside the cell to help stabilize its structure and transport cargoes between organelles. Under certain conditions, however, tau becomes hyperphosphorylated and condenses into filamentous aggregates that form the NFTs. The presence of NFTs is associated with the loss of nerve cells in the brain, which leads to the cognitive decline seen in neurodegenerative diseases. NFTs are important biomarkers for the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease, and they are also being investigated as potential therapeutic targets.