Figure 5.

Loss and recovery of memory in regulatable Tau-transgenic mice. The mice express the proaggregant Tau repeat domain (K18ΔK280). Expression is switched OFF in the presence of doxycyclin, and ON without doxycyclin in the drinking water (tet-off system; Gossen and Bujard 2002), and tested in the Morris Water Maze. Left: Control mouse learns position of hidden platform quickly, short length of swimming path. Center: Mouse after switching the Tau repeat domain ON for 12 months has severe learning deficits, and requires a long time and long path length to find the platform. Right: Same mouse as before, after switching Tau expression OFF again for 4 weeks. The memory has returned to control levels (details in Sydow et al. 2011).