MAP kinases (MAPK) are a family of serine/threonine (Ser/Thr) kinases that link cell surface signals to changes in enzyme activity and gene expression. They are the products of the newly described gene family referred to as extracellular signal regulated kinases (ERKs). Moreover, MAPKs phosphorylate tau in vitro at Ser/Thr Proline sites, generating a multiply phosphorylated tau protein that is similar to the hyperphosphorylated tau found in Alzheimer neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs). We studied MAPK immunoreactivity and in situ hybridization patterns of the two major genes that comprise MAPK activity, ERK1 and ERK2, in the human hippocampal formation. Our goal was to determine whether the pattern of ERK expression is consistent with the hypothesis that MAPKs contribute to NFT formation. ERK1 mRNA is present in small amounts and confined primarily to dentate gyrus granule cells. ERK2 mRNA, by contrast, gives a much stronger hybridization signal and is present in dentate gyrus granule cells and pyramidal cells throughout all hippocampal subfields and adjacent temporal neocortex. Quantitative measures of ERK2 mRNA reveal that NFT-bearing neurons contain approximately 15% less ERK2 mRNA than nearest neighbors that do not contain NFT. NFT-bearing neurons contain approximately 25% less polyA mRNA, suggesting a relative preservation of ERK2 mRNA even in metabolically compromised cells. MAPK immunoreactivity (which represents both ERK1 and ERK2) is seen in neuronal soma, dendrites, axons, and in reactive astrocytes. In Alzheimer's disease, neurons that contain NFTs are also MAPK immunoreactive, but neurons that contain the highest amounts of MAPK immunoreactivity are not necessarily vulnerable for NFT. MAPK immunoreactivity is present in the same neurons as NFT and in the same subcellular compartments as tau, supporting a role for MAPKs in tau phosphorylation in Alzheimer's disease. However, the presence of ERK immunoreactivity is not sufficient to predispose neurons to NFT formation.