Overview

• A large US study involving over 344,000 participants found that individuals with HSV-1 infection face an 80% higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.
• The study also revealed that patients with HSV-1 who used antiviral medications were 17% less likely to develop Alzheimer’s compared to those who did not receive treatment.
• HSV-1, which causes cold sores, is believed to contribute to Alzheimer’s through brain inflammation and amyloid plaque formation, hallmarks of the disease.
• Other herpes viruses, including HSV-2 and varicella zoster virus, were also linked to elevated Alzheimer’s risk, though to a lesser extent than HSV-1.
• Experts emphasize that the findings are observational and call for deeper research, including randomized trials, to confirm causation and explore antiviral therapies as a preventive measure.