Yahoo Lifestyle This Common Condition May Lead to Alzheimer's—and Nearly 67% of People Have It
In case you needed more bad news lately, yet another new study revealed that a common health condition may be linked with Alzheimer's and dementia—and it's a condition so common that literally two-thirds of the world's population has it. What is it and how can you protect yourself and your brain health?
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The Common Condition Linked to Alzheimer's in New Study
In a new Cleveland Clinic study published in Alzheimer's & Dementia, researchers found links between human herpes viruses and Alzheimer's disease and dementia.
Dr. Feixiong Cheng, Ph.D., director of Cleveland Clinic’s Genome Center, told Cleveland Clinic, "Our analysis provides associations linking molecular, clinical and neuropathological features of Alzheimer's with human herpesvirus infection, which warrants future clinical validation."
Related: The Surprising Symptom That May Be an Early Sign of Dementia, According to New Study
What Are Human Herpes Viruses (HHVs)?
As of now, 66.6% (yikes) of people have some form of human herpes virus (HHV), and many have more than one type. In fact, Cleveland Clinic estimates that by adulthood, nearly every human being will have contracted at least three types.
Some HHVs come in the form of relatively mild illnesses like chicken pox, while other forms include shingles, Epstein-Barr, herpes simplex viruses (HSV) 1 and 2 (which can manifest as oral cold sores or genital herpes) or roseola (usually in infants and young children). Some HHVs are asymptomatic.
Related: Eating This Daily May Reduce Dementia Risk, According to Doctors
How Are HHVs Linked to Alzheimer's and Dementia?
Most HHVs, when suppressed by our immune systems and considered "latent," are relatively harmless. However, the Cleveland Clinic study found that in aging patients, the body's ability to suppress HHVs may be reduced. If and when these viruses become activated, that's when problems may arise.
HSV-1, specifically, may activate "jumping genes," or transposable parts of the human genome. When this happens, these "jumping genes" can cause disruptions in the brain, which may in turn impact accumulation of tau protein, which is linked with inflammation in the brain and neurodegeneration, potentially contributing to Alzheimer's.
Related: New Study Reveals Surprising Factor That May Increase Dementia Risk
How Can You Protect Yourself From HHVs, Alzheimer's and Dementia?
By now, you probably know that a brain-healthy and anti-inflammatory diet and regular exercise are good ways to protect yourself against dementia and Alzheimer's (or to at least slow their progress).
While the HHV link may make you feel almost hopeless, there's good news: The study found that anti-virals may actually remedy the link between herpes viruses and dementia by forcing the HHVs to go back to being latent.
"These results further suggest potential relationships between HSV-1 infection and Alzheimer's disease and provide two potential drug candidates that may provide treatment for a disease that currently has no cure," Dr. Cheng explained. "We hope our findings, if broadly applied, can also provide new strategies for treating other neurological diseases associated with herpesviruses or other viruses."
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Sources
"Human herpesvirus-associated transposable element activation in human aging brains with Alzheimer's disease." Alzheimer's & Dementia.
"Herpesviruses May Contribute to Alzheimer’s Disease via Transposable Elements." Cleveland Clinic.
