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Clogging of axons by tau, inhibition of axonal traffic and starvation of synapses
Mandelkow EM, Stamer K, Vogel R, Thies E, Mandelkow E.. Neurobiology of aging, 2003-12-01
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
Loss of synapses and dying back of axons are considered early events in brain degeneration during Alzheimer's disease. This is accompanied by an aberrant behavior of the microtubule-associated protein tau (hyperphosphorylation, aggregation). Since microtubules are the tracks for axonal transport, we are testing the hypothesis that tau plays a role in the malfunctioning of transport.
Key findings
- This is accompanied by an aberrant behavior of the microtubule-associated protein tau (hyperphosphorylation, aggregation).
- Since microtubules are the tracks for axonal transport, we are testing the hypothesis that tau plays a role in the malfunctioning of transport.
- Experiments with various neuronal and non-neuronal cells show that tau is capable of reducing net anterograde transport of vesicles and cell organelles by blocking the microtubule tracks.
- Thus, a misregulation of tau could cause the starvation of synapses and enhanced oxidative stress, long before tau detaches from microtubules and aggregates into Alzheimer neurofibrillary tangles.
Why it matters
Experiments in cells suggest that misregulated tau can block the microtubule tracks used for transport inside axons, which could starve synapses. This is early cell-based work, so it does not yet show that this is what happens in patients or offer a treatment.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 44/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it. We have no data on senior author's track record, so that was left out: it earned 42 of the 96 points we could judge it on, which is 44 out of 100.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Neurobiology of aging) |
| Journal's citation record | 3 / 4 | Neurobiology of Aging: journal h-index 263 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 2003 — older than 20 years, still counted |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 6 / 7 | Cited 403 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 16.1 citations a year over 25 year(s) since 2003 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 10.7× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 3 / 6 | Cited by 17 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 25 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | — / 4 | Senior author's record not available — left out of this score |
| Institution's track record | 0 / 3 | Max Planck Unit for Structural Molecular Biology: institution h-index 285 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 0 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 1 institution(s) in 1 country — scores zero (affiliation lists can be incomplete) |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 14643379) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Points | 42 / 96 | Scored on 19 of 20 parts. We have no data for the rest, so they are left out: 42 of the 96 points we could judge it on is 44 out of 100. |
| Total | 44 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
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Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Mandelkow, E. M., Stamer, K., Vogel, R., Thies, E., & Mandelkow, E. (2003). Clogging of axons by tau, inhibition of axonal traffic and starvation of synapses. Neurobiology of aging. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2003.04.007
Vancouver
Mandelkow EM, Stamer K, Vogel R, Thies E, Mandelkow E. Clogging of axons by tau, inhibition of axonal traffic and starvation of synapses. Neurobiology of aging. 2003. doi:10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2003.04.007. PMID: 14643379.
BibTeX
@article{mandelkow2003-14643379,
author = {Mandelkow, E. M. and Stamer, K. and Vogel, R. and Thies, E. and Mandelkow, E.},
title = {{Clogging of axons by tau, inhibition of axonal traffic and starvation of synapses}},
journal = {Neurobiology of aging},
year = {2003},
doi = {10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2003.04.007},
pmid = {14643379},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2003.04.007}
}
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