Home Health Prone to cold sores? You may have DOUBLE the risk of dementia later in life, study suggests

Prone to cold sores? You may have DOUBLE the risk of dementia later in life, study suggests

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Researchers found that people who have been infected with the herpes simplex virus, which causes cold sores, at some point in their lives were twice as likely to develop dementia, compared to those who were never infected.
  • Patients with dementia are more likely to be infected with herpes simplex virus
  • Between 50 and 80 percent of American adults are believed to have the cold sore virus.
  • READ MORE: Doctors Demand Biden Take Dementia Tests After Week of Mistakes

People prone to cold sores may have twice the risk of dementia later in life, a study suggests.

Researchers at Uppsala University in Sweden found that people who had been infected with the herpes simplex virus (HSV), which causes cold sores, at some point in their lives were twice as likely to develop all forms of dementia. , compared to those who had never been. infected.

It is thought that the virus could increase the risk of Alzheimer’s because fragments of the virus remain in the body throughout life and there is some evidence that they travel to the brain, where they trigger the creation of beta amyloid and tau plaques, which are hallmarks of the illness. dementia.

Between 50 and 80 percent of American adults are believed to have the HSV virus. It remains dormant in the body, but at times when the immune system is weakened, exposure to the sun, cold wind, a cold or other illness, or even stress can cause outbreaks.

Researchers found that people who have been infected with the herpes simplex virus, which causes cold sores, at some point in their lives were twice as likely to develop dementia, compared to those who were never infected.

Alzheimer's is increasingly common in the United States. The death rate from the disease has increased since 2000

Alzheimer’s is increasingly common in the United States. The death rate from the disease has increased since 2000

While the study was observational and cannot prove the link, it aligns with previous findings.

For the latest research, published in the Alzheimer’s Disease JournalThe researchers studied more than 1,000 Swedes in their 70s for 15 years.

“What is special about this study is that the participants are approximately the same age, which makes the results even more reliable, since age differences, which are otherwise related to the development of dementia, cannot confuse the results,” explained Erika Vestin, a medical student. from Uppsala University, told Medical Xpress.

Blood samples were collected and tested for the herpes simplex virus.

The researchers also collected information on dementia diagnoses and indications of cognitive impairment from participants’ medical records.

Researchers at the Memory Clinic at Uppsala University Hospital reviewed the diagnoses and classified the cases as established or probable dementia.

About 71 participants (seven percent) developed dementia and 36 (four percent) developed Alzheimer’s.

About 89 percent of participants who developed Alzheimer’s or dementia had the herpes simplex virus, while 82 percent of those without cognitive impairment had the virus.

Using statistical analysis, the researchers determined that having the virus doubled the risk of dementia.

Dementia is the general term for a group of conditions associated with loss of memory, language and judgment.

Alzheimer’s is the most common form of the disease, affecting more than six million Americans, while Lewy body dementia is the second most common type, with approximately one million living with the condition.

What is Alzheimer’s and how is it treated?

Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive, degenerative brain disease in which the buildup of abnormal proteins causes the death of nerve cells.

This disrupts the transmitters that carry messages and causes the brain to shrink.

More than five million people suffer from the disease in the United States, where it is the sixth leading cause of death, and more than a million Britons suffer from it.

WHAT HAPPENS?

As brain cells die, the functions they perform are lost.

That includes memory, orientation, and the ability to think and reason.

The progress of the disease is slow and gradual.

On average, patients live five to seven years after diagnosis, but some can live ten to 15 years.

FIRST SYMPTOMS:

  • Short-term memory loss.
  • Disorientation
  • Behavior changes
  • Humor changes
  • Difficulty handling money or making a phone call.

LATEST SYMPTOMS:

  • Severe memory loss, forgetting close relatives, familiar objects or places.
  • Feeling anxious and frustrated about the inability to make sense of the world, leading to aggressive behavior.
  • Over time he loses the ability to walk.
  • You may have problems eating
  • Most will eventually need 24-hour care

HOW IS IT TREATED?

There is no known cure for Alzheimer’s disease.

However, there are some treatments that help relieve some of the symptoms.

One of them is acetylcholinesterase inhibitors, which help brain cells communicate with each other.

Another is memantine, which works by blocking a chemical called glutamate that can build up in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s disease and inhibit mental function.

As the disease progresses, Alzheimer’s patients may begin to exhibit aggressive behavior and/or suffer from depression. Medications may be provided to help mitigate these symptoms.

Other non-pharmaceutical treatments are also recommended, such as brain training to improve memory and help combat one of the aspects of Alzheimer’s disease.

Fountain: Alzheimer’s Association and the National Health Service

SwedenAlzheimer’s disease

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