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Cold Sores May Raise Alzheimer’s Risk

Decades-old study links common virus to increased dementia risk, sparking new research.

A 1997 study in The Lancet suggests a link between herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1), the cause of cold sores, and Alzheimer’s disease, finding the virus dormant in the brains of some Alzheimer’s patients, potentially increasing risk when combined with a specific gene. Experts weigh in.

Key Findings

A 1997 study published in The Lancet compared brain DNA of elderly individuals with and without Alzheimer’s. Researchers, including Ruth Itzhaki, found herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) dormant in some brains.

Ruth Itzhaki, ph.D., study co-author, noted in The Conversation that subsequent research supports her team’s findings.

“HSV-1 is a common virus to which almost everyone is exposed early in life,” says David hunter, M.D., an assistant professor and neurologist with UTHealth Houston. “It is best known for causing cold sores and is closely related to chicken pox and mononucleosis.”

The Viral connection

Linda Yancey, M.D., an infectious disease doctor at Memorial Hermann Health System, explains that HSV-1, like chickenpox, is neurotropic, meaning it can linger in the nervous system and reactivate later, potentially bypassing the blood-brain barrier.

David Hunter, M.D. notes that HSV-1 is the most common cause of viral brain inflammation in the U.S., highlighting its ability to infiltrate the nerves and bypass the blood-brain barrier.

While there’s no vaccine for HSV-1, Dr. Hunter says antiviral drugs can treat cold sore symptoms.He emphasizes that most people contract the virus by adulthood.

Implications

Further research is needed to fully understand the connection between HSV-1 and Alzheimer’s, but these findings suggest a potential link between viral infections and neurodegenerative diseases.

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