July 11, 2026
National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology(QST)
Abstract
Researchers at the National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology (QST) have discovered that cognitive symptoms in progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) may be caused not only by local tau accumulation in the brain, but also by disruption of distant brain networks connected to tau-affected regions. Using tau positron emission tomography (tau PET) and brain connectivity mapping, the team identified a shared neural circuit, termed the“PSP-tau network,” that is associated with cognitive impairment in PSP patients. The findings provide a new framework for understanding how tau pathology leads to symptoms and may contribute to earlier diagnosis, improved symptom prediction, and future circuit-based therapeutic strategies for tau-related neurodegenerative diseases.
The results were published online in Science Advances on July 10, 2026.
EurekAlert!
The results were also featured on EurekAlert! on July 17, 2026(UTC).
Brain circuits may help explain cognitive symptoms in PSP | EurekAlert!