Link between Herpes Simplex virus-1 and Alzheimer’s
April 20, 2007 by Grace Ibay
Filed under Diseases & Conditions
Viral infections contribute to Alzheimer’s?
With the fast pace research on Alzheimer’s cause and development, it’s not a surprise that many factors are being discovered that affect this progressive disease’s susceptibility and development. But to find that a virus might one culprit… and a common one at that…
The Tangled Neuron takes an in-depth look at the research done by Dr. Ruth Itzhaki, who found latent signs of the herpes simplex virus-1 in areas of the brain most affected by Alzheimers. Dr Itzhaki postulates that the virus infects the brain in older age, as the immune system declines.
If Dr. Itzhaki’s hypothesis about HSV1’s role in Alzheimer’s proves to be true, then she believes it would have enormous consequences and anti-viral agents may easily be used to treat patients and stop further deterioration.
Anti-viral drugs against human herpes virus-6 have already been found highly effective in increasing the energy levels of CFS/ME sufferers, so there must be a immuno-genetic connection between these two brain disfunctions and viruses.
A complete text of Tangled Neuron and Dr. Itzhaki’s research is available here.
Tags: human herpes simplex virus-1, HSV-1, alzheimer’s, virus, illness, mental health, CFS
Need a doctor to work with in Boston Area.
Where do we find a doctor that takes Medicare and who will prescribe the antivirals for M.E. cfs?
Do many CFS patients test positive for HVS 1 ? How about those who haven’t had sex for 18 yrs due to being sick with CFS, and never tested positive for STD’s before? But have tested positive for HHV6 titers all along.
What antivirals have worked for HVS-1? Being on medicare , they are still quite expensive drugs.
It seems to me amazing that doctors still consider herpes infections as something irrelevant. There are more and more sings that infections of herpeses and enteroviruses play a role of inmunomodulator having long term consequences in the central nervous system. Still they consider that it should be treated as a common cold.