Can Preventing, Treating Herpes Reduce Dementia Risk?

Mounting evidence points to a connection between dementia and common herpes virus infections, particularly herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), which causes cold sores, and varicella zoster virus (VZV), the cause of chickenpox and shingles.

Multiple studies have shown that individuals with a history of these infections face a higher risk for dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD). What was once a fringe hypothesis has gained traction, as a growing body of research points to these viruses as major factors in Alzheimer’s and other dementias.

“There is now quite a lot of evidence obtained by a variety of methods which suggests that this virus is really a major factor in Alzheimer’s disease. And the weight of the evidence supports a causal role,” Ruth Itzhaki, MSc, PhD, visiting profes