A certain blood protein regarded as an early indicator of Alzheimer’s disease also appears to play a role in other disorders. Researchers at DZNE and the Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research (HIH) at the University of Tübingen have found that elevated levels of phosphorylated tau protein (pTau) also occur in two lesser-known conditions that primarily affect the heart and kidneys. These findings open up new perspectives for improved diagnostics and were published this week in the journal “Nature Medicine”. They are based on data from 280 older individuals from Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands.