A new study has revealed that getting exposed to the herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) may double the risk of developing dementia. According to reports, the findings are the latest evidence to suggest that some common viral infections may be a neglected source of cognitive decline.
The study was conducted on more than a thousand 70-year-olds in Sweden and it reveals that roughly 80 percent of adults carry the antibody for HSV-1, whether they know it or not.
Oral herpes often leads to flare-ups of inflammation and blisters around the mouth and lips from time to time. In some cases, there are no symptoms at all. However, the new findings reveal that HSV-1 could be having worrisome effects on the inside.
“It is exciting that the results confirm previous studies. More and more evidence is emerging from studies that, like our findings, point to the herpes simplex virus as a risk factor for dementia,” says epidemiologist Erika Vestin from Uppsala University in Sweden as quoted by Science Alert.
It is noteworthy that the root causes of dementia are one of the most highly investigated mysteries in modern medical science. Alzheimer’s is the most common type of dementia, and it is oftentimes, but not always, marked by abnormal protein clumps in the brain.
Another study, published this year, revealed that some severe viral infections, like encephalitis and pneumonia, may increase the risk of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s. Nevertheless, to this day there is still not enough evidence to confirm the role of pathogens like HSV-1 in cognitive decline.
Moreover, Vestin and colleagues are calling for randomized controlled trials to investigate whether herpes treatment could help prevent or stall the onset of dementia. Reportedly, previous clinical trial applications on antivirals and dementia, however, have been rejected by funding bodies.
One of the first – an ongoing phase II clinical trial studying the effect of a herpes treatment on Alzheimer’s – is due to finish in December of 2024.
Such results “may drive dementia research further towards treating the illness at an early stage using common anti-herpes virus drugs, or preventing the disease before it occurs,” Vestin said as quoted by Science Alert.
The study was published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease.
