Researchers link herpes to Alzheimer's disease (cold sore virus)

Brown University ^ | April 4, 2011 | Unknown

[decimon]

Ping

[sinanju]

Oh swell. Looks like we’re (almost) all DOOOOOOOOMED!

[Pearls Before Swine]

This is bad news for a lot of people.

[Jonty30]

I’m one of those 40 year old virgins, that you hear about, but question their existence.

I’ll save you all.

[DManA]

I started getting cold sores when I was a child. I presume I got it from my parents.

About 80 percent of American adults have oral herpes (cold sores).

http://www.globalherbalsupplies.com/herpes/stats.html

[Domalais]

I don't think you read the article. This is HSV1, not what most people refer to as herpes.

In developed countries such as the U.S., approximately 20 percent of children are infected with HSV1 prior to the age of five. By the second and third decades of life, as much as 60 percent of the population is infected, and late-in-life infection rate reaches 85 percent.

Your virginity has very little to do with whether or not you have HSV1... unless you think 20% of children are having sex prior to the age of 5...

[achilles2000]

Looks like those of us who have had chicken pox are in trouble ;-)

[LibLieSlayer]

My Father lived to be almost 90... his Father lived to be 92... both suffered cold sores... one smoked himself to death (and was an MD) and my Dad... an Engineer... died of kidney disease. No signs of Alzheimers in my family anywhere.

LLS

[decimon]

Looks like those of us who have had chicken pox are in trouble ;-)

And those who haven't should they get it as adults. You just can't win.

[max americana]

[The_Victor]

20 years ago, aluminum was tagged as the culprit. I wounder what the cause will be 20 years from now when I’m getting to be that age?

[dawn53]

I haven’t looked it up but I think HSV1 is the oral type of herpes, and isn’t associated with chicken pox. Chicken pox is Herpes Zoster, and can cause Shingles in someone who’s had chicken pox.

[peeps36]

My grandmother use to get cold sores and she suffered from Alzheimers the last ten years of her life. I worry about my father now that he's getting older. I don't want to see him suffer that way. Alzheimers is a horrible disease that hurts the victim and the family.

[Cyman]

“I don’t want to see him suffer that way.”

So sorry to hear about your grandparents but Alzheimer’s is the only disease where the patient does not suffer but those around them are often terribly affected.

[beaversmom]

On the other hand, my dad has never had a cold sore, but has Alzheimer’s.

[decimon]

On the other hand, my dad has never had a cold sore, but has Alzheimer’s.

Sorry to hear about your dad.

I think you can carry the virus without ever displaying symptoms.

[neverdem]

bump & a micro ping

Herpes Simplex Virus Dances with Amyloid Precursor Protein while Exiting the Cell

[raybbr]

Researchers recommend people treat a cold sore as quickly as possible to minimize the amount of time the virus is actively traveling through a person's nervous system. The faster a cold sore is treated, the faster the HSV1 returns to a dormant stage.

What's the treatment? Acyclovir at $5 a pop?

How does one treat a cold sore? I get them and nothing seems to help.

[decimon]

How does one treat a cold sore?

I don't know.