NLRP3 and hippocampal atrophy: Overall, since (i) suppression of the NLRP3 inflammasome reduced hippocampal atrophy in P301S tau mice57, (ii) knockout of the microglial phagocytic receptor P2Y6 prevented neuronal loss in P301S tau mice46, and (iii) activated microglia were shown to phagocytose stressed-but-viable neurons containing P301S-tau inclusions in vitro45, we can speculate that NLRP3 inflammasome activation in microglial cells might be required for both extracellular and intracellular tau-induced neuronal death by phagocytosis.