Considering the concept that tau oligomers are the toxic entities responsible for neurodegeneration in tauopathies and that tau pathology propagation from affected to unaffected brain regions was dependent on tau oligomers but not monomers or fibrils, we propose that the augmented toxicity is at least partially attributed to tau oligomers formation induced by Zn2+. The gene discussed is MAPT; the disease is tauopathy.