Herpes on the lips increases the risk of Alzheimer's
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
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A cold on the lips caused by a herpes simplex virus of the first type increases the risk of future Alzheimer's disease - such a conclusion was made by a group of specialists in one of the Swiss universities. When infected with the herpes virus, a person becomes a constant carrier, the disease is periodically exacerbated under conditions favorable for him (reduced immunity, etc.), causing the appearance of unpleasant painful sores on the lips.
About 90% of the population are carriers of the virus, only 1/4 of the population suffers from frequent colds on the lips. If we talk about Alzheimer's disease, that in this case a big role is played by weak immunity in old age, which makes it easier for the virus to penetrate the brain and start a pathological process that destroys brain cells and neural connections. As a result of such activity of the virus in the elderly person, cognitive functions decrease.
In a healthy person, the body produces a small amount of amyloid protein, which contributes to the formation of deposits and the development of Alzheimer's disease.
It is likely that the opening of Swiss specialists will help in developing a cure for Alzheimer's disease, in particular using antiviral drugs. After several years, specialists plan to begin clinical trials of preventive therapy of Alzheimer's disease.
At the moment, the link between the disease and the presence of the virus in the body is confirmed by observations of more than three thousand patients in whom the infection doubled the risk of developing Alzheimer's.
In addition, experts analyzed samples of tissues in people with Alzheimer and from the control group, as a result, the carriers of the virus were twice as likely to suffer from a decrease in mental abilities.
Alzheimer's disease is characterized by a gradual loss of memory, speech, the ability to think logically, etc. With the progression of the disease a person is not able to take care of himself, requires constant monitoring, it is sometimes extremely difficult to communicate with such people.
It is known that people with mental disorders are more likely to recall long-standing events, while they can completely forget about everyday affairs. It is through memories that one can find a way to communicate with such patients.
This was confirmed by the research of Dr. Ann-Marie Quinn, who for five weeks followed the reaction of patients with reduced mental abilities. All participants were shown old photos of one of the parks in the UK. All patients when viewing the photos began to actively discuss their past, some managed to recall the skills that they owned, but have not been used in practice for a long time.
As it turned out, memories of a past life are extremely important for people, especially with a decrease in mental activity, and experts are sure that with dementia it is memories that help people to orient themselves in a new environment.
People with Alzheimer's do not remember the usual things, however, the feelings that are associated with a certain event in their life remain for a long time. As one study has shown, people with Alzheimer may not remember the visits of relatives, but the feeling of joy from their arrival will remain in your memory for a long time.
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