RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Therapeutic strategies for tau mediated neurodegeneration JF Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry JO J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd SP 784 OP 795 DO 10.1136/jnnp-2012-303144 VO 84 IS 7 A1 Yasumasa Yoshiyama A1 Virginia M Y Lee A1 John Q Trojanowski YR 2013 UL http://jnnp.bmj.com/content/84/7/784.abstract AB Based on the amyloid hypothesis, controlling β-amyloid protein (Aβ) accumulation is supposed to suppress downstream pathological events, tau accumulation, neurodegeneration and cognitive decline. However, in recent clinical trials, Aβ removal or reducing Aβ production has shown limited efficacy. Moreover, while active immunisation with Aβ resulted in the clearance of Aβ, it did not prevent tau pathology or neurodegeneration. This prompts the concern that it might be too late to employ Aβ targeting therapies once tau mediated neurodegeneration has occurred. Therefore, it is timely and very important to develop tau directed therapies. The pathomechanisms of tau mediated neurodegeneration are unclear but hyperphosphorylation, oligomerisation, fibrillisation and propagation of tau pathology have been proposed as the likely pathological processes that induce loss of function or gain of toxic function of tau, causing neurodegeneration. Here we review the strategies for tau directed treatments based on recent progress in research on tau and our understanding of the pathomechanisms of tau mediated neurodegeneration.