According to a latest report published in the Frontiers of Aging Neuroscience, Herpes Simplex Virus type 1 (HSV1) is strongly associated and is a major risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The study shows that latent HSV1 in the brains of individuals carrying the APOE-e4 allele can cause substantial damage during events of inflammation, peripheral infection, and immunosuppression. The virus can get reactivated during such events and damage caused can accumulate leading to substantial destruction over time. Population data obtained also suggest that treatment with antivirals can help in preventing the development of dementia over time.
The findings of the study suggest that HSV1 could account for nearly 50% of the total AD cases. Source: Medical news today Itzhaki RF. Frontiers in Aging Neurosci., 19 October 2018
