An elderly patient's neurons exhibit extensive tau protein aggregation. Which protective mechanism most effectively limits aggregate toxicity within these neurons?

💡 Explanation

Autophagy, a cellular self-degradation process, clears misfolded proteins and toxic aggregates. Neurons activate autophagy to remove tau aggregates, reducing their neurotoxic effects, because this prevents further damage; therefore, activating autophagy limits aggregate toxicity rather than synaptic release, action potential propagation, or glycolysis promotion.

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