Tau Evaluation in Neurodegeneration and Dementia Research (TENDeR)
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Tau Evaluation in Neurodegeneration and Dementia Research (TENDeR)
IRAS ID
194505
Contact name
James Rowe
Contact email
Duration of Study in the UK
5 years, 1 months, 30 days
Research summary
This study is concerned with the role of abnormal protein in different diseases affecting the brain. In particular a protein called tau, which is found in many cells in our body, plays an important part in the health and normal function of nerve cells. Accumulation of abnormal tau characterises the cell changes seen in several progressive brain illnesses such as Alzheimer's disease. Whilst the role of tau in health and mechanisms of how it may accumulate and cause illness are relatively well understood, our knowledge is indirect coming mainly from animal models of disease and post-mortem studies. Consequently they do not provide us with evidence for what happens in terms of localisation and spread of pathology during the disease course in life.
Until recently there has been no non-invasive way of detecting the distribution and amount of tau aggregation in life. However, chemicals have now been developed that bind preferentially to abnormal tau aggregates rather than other protein accumulations that may be seen in various neurodegenerative diseases. These chemicals are tagged with a low dose radioactive label which allows the binding to be visualised by recording the radioactive decay in a Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scan. The location of this binding is ascertained by co-registration of the PET data with a MRI of brain structure.
By using this method, combined with blood sampling for genetic factors and thorough neuro-psychological and clinical examination, we intend to correlate the distribution and amount of tau with symptoms and severity in several different neurodegenerative diseases characterised by abnormal tau accumulation. This would enhance early, accurate diagnosis, as well as potentially providing a robust marker for monitoring the disease modifying effects of new drugs, several of which may work by reducing tau accumulation, in future clinical trials.REC name
East of England - Cambridge Central Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
16/EE/0529
Date of REC Opinion
21 Feb 2017
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion