What do herpesvirus and Alzheimer's disease have in common?
Last reviewed: 07.06.2024
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Patients with herpesvirus (herpes simplex virus-1) are much more likely to suffer from dementia. This information was announced by representatives of the Swedish University of Uppsala.
Herpes simplex virus better known as herpes is an infectious agent that provokes the formation of painful blisters and ulcers on the skin and mucous membranes.
Herpesvirus is an extremely common infection. According to statistics, it can be found in the bodies of 80% of people. The virus, once in the body, stays in it permanently, although the symptoms of the infectious disease are not always manifested, more often - relapses.
Dementia is an acquired type of dementia that has now been diagnosed in more than 55 million people worldwide. Risk factors for developing the disease were previously considered to be old age and the presence of the APOE ɛ4 gene. Now experts have added a new factor: herpesvirus infection.
Researchers carefully analyzed all factors in the occurrence of senile dementia and Alzheimer's disease, paying attention to the presence of antibodies to herpes simplex virus in the blood of more than a thousand people in the age category of 70 years and older. All subjects lived in Sweden between 2001 and 2005. None of the participants had any type of dementia at the start of the research project.
Participants and their health status were followed for fifteen years. All had regular blood tests to determine IgG and IgM to herpes simplex virus-1 and IgG to cytomegalovirus infection. Basic health information and therapeutic interventions were extracted from medical records and medical files.
The overall incidence of Alzheimer's disease and senile dementia, regardless of cause and provoking factors, was 4 and 7 percent, respectively. More than 80 percent of the subjects were found to be carriers of herpes simplex virus-1 IgG antibodies, and 6 percent of them had been treated periodically or once for herpesvirus. The presence of IgG antibodies appeared to coincide with an increased risk of Alzheimer's disease - more than twice as much. The presence of antibodies against herpes simplex virus-1 IgM and antibodies to cytomegalovirus infection had no similar association with the development of Alzheimer's disease or senile dementia.
According to the researchers, it is important to further study this issue, paying attention to whether the drugs used in the treatment of herpesvirus infection can somehow reduce the risk of senile dementia. Perhaps this information will also suggest a way to create new effective serums for vaccination against Alzheimer's disease.
Details of the study are outlined on the JAD journal page