Aggregation‐prone human tau accelerates lifespan and motility decline in a Caenorhabditis elegans model of tau polymerization

Tau aggregates is a key molecular hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease and other Alzheimer’s Disease‐Related Disorders. In these neurodegenerative disorders tau is aggregated in areas of the brain that exhibit high levels of synaptic and neuronal degeneration. Most animal models focus on neuronal death as is an apparent phenotype; however, we lack an in vivo model to observe the events that occur early in pathology compared to the endpoint (neuronal death). Thus, we want to build a model using C. elegans to understand the factors that initiate tau polymerization and toxicity.