Cold sore virus linked to Alzheimer's
The virus behind cold sores is a major cause of the insoluble protein plaques found in the brains of Alzheimer's disease sufferers, University of Manchester researchers have revealed.
The virus behind cold sores is a major cause of the insoluble protein plaques found in the brains of Alzheimer's disease sufferers, University of Manchester researchers have revealed.
They believe the herpes simplex virus is a significant factor in developing the disease and could be treated by antiviral agents such as acyclovir, which is already used to treat cold sores and other diseases caused by the herpes virus. Another future possibility is vaccination against the virus to prevent the development of the disease in the first place.
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterised by progressive memory loss and severe cognitive impairment. It affects more than 20 million people worldwide.
Professor Ruth Itzhaki and her team at the University's Faculty of Life Sciences have investigated the role of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV1) in AD, publishing their findings in the Journal of Pathology.
Most people are infected with this virus, which then remains life-long in the peripheral nervous system, and in 20-40% of those infected it causes cold sores. Evidence of a viral role in AD would point to the use of antiviral agents to stop progression of the disease.
The team discovered that 90% of plaques in Alzheimer's disease sufferers' brains contain HSV1 DNA, and most of the viral DNA is located within amyloid plaques. The team had previously shown that HSV1 infection of nerve-type cells induces deposition of the main component, beta amyloid, of amyloid plaques. Together, these findings implicate HSV1 as a major factor in the formation of amyloid deposits and plaques.
The team now hopes to obtain funding in order to take their work further.