Astrocytes are normal non-neuronal brain cells, but in their reactive form they can harm, rather than protect, brain tissue. Mice with tau tangles in their brains — a model of Alzheimer’s and related diseases — have fewer reactive astrocytes (green) in their brains when treated with the drug digoxin (left) than untreated mice (right). Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have discovered that targeting astrocytes reduces tau-related brain damage and inflammation in mice, a finding that could lead to better therapies for Alzheimer’s and related tauopathies.