Drosophila models of Alzheimer's disease have recently been developed and recapitulate separately many features of Aβ and tau pathologies, including formation of amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles, neuronal death, behavioural impairment and shortened lifespan (Wittmann et al., 2001; Crowther et al., 2005). The gene discussed is MAPT; the disease is Alzheimer disease.