Researchers Warn a Common Virus May Significantly Raise Alzheimer Risk

HSV-1 is a contagious virus that probably almost everyone has caught during childhood. This virus causes herpes, which can appear as cold sores. Sometimes it can cause genital herpes and, in some cases, more severe illnesses. Transmission of this virus occurs orally most of the time, through kisses or sneezes. The curious thing about HSV-1 is that it stays in your body’s nerve cells forever. There is no need to worry because, although it can rarely cause an outbreak, most of the time it remains dormant and asymptomatic. 

The Connection Between HSV-1 and Alzheimer’s

A study conducted a long time ago showed that this virus could be found in the brains of elderly people. This refuted the belief that germs didn’t have access to the brain thanks to the blood-brain barrier.

APOE-ε4 is a gene that carries a high risk and likelihood of developing dementia. It’s connected to fat metabolism by inheriting one or two copies from one’s parents. Although carrying this gene doesn’t immediately mean the holder will develop Alzheimer’s, it is a big risk factor that should be kept in mind.

An expert on the matter stated that carrying this gene and having been infected with HSV-1 can have a greater impact on the possibility of developing Alzheimer’s. The study included the analysis of brain cells that have been infected with HSV-1. Results showed that those cells were found to carry unusual proteins that were common among individuals suffering from Alzheimer’s. Their theory implies that, although the virus stays dormant most of the time as mentioned earlier, it can “wake up” when people get older. The outcome of this is brain cell damage, which can eventually lead to developing Alzheimer’s.

The good side of this news is that researchers found that some medications that were used helped decrease the damage, which is a great sign that medicine could evolve one day and be able to cure or prevent dementia. 

Another study conducted by BMJ expanded this study with numbers. They concluded that people who were previously exposed to this virus had an 80% higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s than people who weren’t—even without the APOE-ε4risk factor.

How to Reduce the Risk

Research shows that people who have taken medication when they were infected with HSV-1 showed less risk of developing Alzheimer’s. The shingles vaccine, although used to treat other viruses such as VZV (varicella), has been shown to help reduce the risk of developing dementia as well. This conclusion was reached thanks to a study conducted on a former shingles vaccine that is not available nowadays (Zostavax) but seemed to lower the risk of dementia by 20% compared to the individuals who didn’t take the vaccine.

Since HSV-1 is a virus that can be found very easily and it is transmitted via the oral route, it can be quite difficult to prevent getting infected. However, taking small steps such as keeping a safe distance from people who are showing symptoms of HSV-1 and keeping a healthy lifestyle to ensure a strong immune system are already good precautionary measures you can adopt.

If you or someone you know gets infected, seek medical help to ease the symptoms and also avoid future problems linked to your brain health.

The Bottom Line:

A common virus has been proven to increase the risk of Alzheimer’s by 80%. HSV-1 has been detected as a major risk factor for dementia among elderly people.