MAPT and Cognitive impairment: Moreover, in Htau mice the levels of tau correlate with cognitive deficits, decrease in long term potentiation, lowering of synaptic proteins, and a reduction in the level of mushroom-shaped spines as well as an increase in amount of thin spines (Polydoro et al., 2009; Dickstein et al., 2010; Alldred et al., 2012).