They cause oxidative damage to neurons, dysfunction of synapses, neuroinflammation, and apoptosis of nerve cells, leading to further deterioration and, ultimately, the development of AD.[16, 17, 18] The Tau protein hyperphosphorylation hypothesis proposes that abnormal phosphorylation of Tau proteins leads to the formation of neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs), which disrupts the normal structure and function of neurons. This evidence concerns the gene MAPT and Alzheimer disease.