New Evidence Suggests Possible Link Between Herpes And Alzheimer’s

(Adapted by ScienceDaily.com from information gathered from American Chemical Society.)

ScienceDaily (May 12, 2000) — Could Lead to New Treatments Targeting the Herpes Virus

Researchers have long believed that there was a relationship between herpes and Alzheimer’s. Now, a new study may shed new light on this belief and lead to production of a vaccine to prevent the disease or new medication to treat it. Biochemistry, a peer-reviewed publication of the American Chemical Society and the world’s largest scientific society will publish the findings in its May 16 edition.

Researchers at the University of California, Irvine, indicated that an artificial protein that is comparable to HSV-1 mimics the makeup and behavior of a protein called beta-amyloid, a toxic agent that has been found to settle in the brains of people who suffer from Alzheimer’s.

Genetic sequencing determined that two-thirds of a portion of the viral protein is an exact replica of the beta-amyloid protein. The research found that, like beta-amyloid, it could destroy brain neurons, a main factor in the development of Alzheimer’s. In fact, in laboratory tests, the viral protein produced abnormal twisted fibers similar to those we see in the brains of people who suffer from Alzheimer’s — the trademark of the Alzheimer’s disease.

There are two main forms of herpes. Most people contract HSV-1, which causes cold sores, during childhood from non-sexual contacts. While HSV-2, commonly called genital herpes, is contracted through sexual activities.

“What’s unique … is that it [shows] a way … herpes can act,” says Frank M. LaFerla, Ph.D., chief investigator of this research and an assistant professor in the university’s Department of Neurobiology and Behavior. LaFerla is also associate director of the university's Institute for Brain Aging and Dementia.

Having HSV-1 is not a guaranteed indicator that a person will develop Alzheimer’s. LaFerla expounds on this apparent inconsistency by calling our attention to recent studies that indicate that people with a family history of Alzheimer’s are more susceptible to it if they are exposed to HSV-1.

Herpes is one of a growing number of indicators believed to increase risk of Alzheimer’s— a form of dementia that primarily affects the elderly that has no cure and whose scope has not been fully understood by the medical community. In roughly 10% of Alzheimer’s cases there is a genetic history of the disease. President Reagan, whose mother had Alzheimer’s, also had the disease.

Research suggests that there are various factors that contribute to most instances of Alzheimer’s. While genetic predisposition has been proven, stress, prior head injury, and an abnormal concentration of metals in the brain are also potential indicators.

“..Researchers will … find new factors associated with Alzheimer’s…” predicts LaFerla.

The study was created with the support of the National Institute on Aging, the Alzheimer's Association, and the state of California.

American Chemical Society (2000, May 12). New Evidence Found Linking Herpes And Alzheimer’s. ScienceDaily. Retrieved March 20, 2008, from http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2000/05/000512083302.htm