A protein that most scientists have thought of primarily as a culprit in Alzheimer's disease turns out to play a critical role in healthy brain function, specifically in the formation and stabilization of long-term memories.
New research published in Nature Communications by Flinders University, in partnership with researchers from the University of New South Wales and Macquarie University, found that tau — a protein widely associated with memory loss in dementia — is essential for organizing and stabilizing memories so they persist over time. The discovery was first published May 17, 2026, and received renewed national attention when ScienceDaily featured it on July 12, 2026.
