Fever blisters linked to fevered brain
Cold sores are being fingered as the latest possible cause of Alzheimer's disease.
That's according to a theory behind some new research, though the theory itself is not a new one. It has been suggested for years that there may be a link, but it's one that people have found challenging to embrace. The idea that the common herpes simplex virus (HSV-1) could be responsible for this complicated, devastating brain disease seems to be almost too easy an explanation.
But mindsets won't alter lab results. Researchers took cultures of human brain cells and infected them with the herpes simplex virus, and what they found was intriguing. The results were described as a "dramatic" increase in the beta amyloid plaques that are associated with the brains of Alzheimer's patients.
They also tested the brains of mice and got the same result.
Prior studies have found that HSV-1 exists in 70 percent of people with Alzheimer's disease. It has also been found that these patients carry a gene, ApoE4, which is mutated. Mix that with the virus, and it's possible that the gene aggravates the virus, making it more active.
However, the final verdict is not in, as a firm link has yet to be established. First of all, there's the issue of how common the herpes simplex virus is. One estimate gives a range of 50 to 80 percent of Americans, so it's possible that this statistic would have some influence on the statistic of how many Alzheimer's patients also have the cold sore virus.
Many scientists also realize that the viral link may be no more than what they have suspected: a coincidence, or just one of many causes that steal memories from the disease's victims.
It's similar to saying that the majority of people who wear flannel shirts or blue jeans have a higher rate of disease. We need something a little more definitive to go on, because the one does not necessarily cause the other.
In the meantime, scientists are hopeful about finding an angle to snare this disease and make it a preventable one. I'd also wager that they're eager to introduce a vaccine.
