Debating the Connection Between Herpesvirus Infection and Alzheimer ' s Disease

The role of persistent infection in the development of Alzheimer's disease is much debated these days, particularly now that the amyloid cascade hypothesis is under attack, following the continued failure of trials for therapies that clear amyloid-β. The biggest challenge in understanding Alzheimer's disease is the question of why only some people develop the condition, even given very similar lifestyle choices relating to weight, exercise, and other well-known influences on health. If the burden of persistent infection is an important contributing factor, it would very conveniently explain this otherwise puzzling outcome. Herpesviruses and other persistent pathogens are hypothesized to contribute to the development of Alzheimer's via (a) greater chronic inflammation, and (b) greater generation of amyloid-β in its role as a part of the innate immune system response. The mechanisms make sense, but the data for herpesviruses in particular is contradictory, indicating that while herpesvirus infection may contribute to Alzheimer's disease, it likely isn't the major cause. Perhaps other persistent infections are also important. Or perhaps Alzheimer's is in fact a collection of distinct conditions with quite different roots that converge on the same situation of amyloid-β and inflammation in the brain. New Data Questions Herpes-Alzheimer's Connection The virus-Alzheimer's tug of war continues. New data across several studies weaken the proposed, and much-d...
Source: Fight Aging! - Category: Research Authors: Tags: Medicine, Biotech, Research Source Type: blogs