herpes & alzheimers.

[hairyfairy]

Has anyone read the articles about herpes & alzheimers that are on the internet? Apparently this virus is particularly risky for people with the apoe4 gene. These articles are very scary because there`s nothing that can get rid of herpes. Does this mean that anyone who is apoe4 positive and carrying the herpes virus is doomed?

[slacker]

Has anyone read the articles about herpes & alzheimers that are on the internet? Apparently this virus is particularly risky for people with the apoe4 gene. These articles are very scary because there`s nothing that can get rid of herpes. Does this mean that anyone who is apoe4 positive and carrying the herpes virus is doomed?

There are several topics discussing AD and herpes on the website. One of the more active is here. One way to find prior discussions is to use the search function; magnifying glass in the tool bar right upper corner of screen.

All living creatures are "doomed!" Human lifespan is limited. The unanswered question is when and how will we die. Most of us here are doing our best to optimize our health, despite many levels of uncertainty. And continue to make the life we currently have worth living.

[dcox]

Does this mean that anyone who is apoe4 positive and carrying the herpes virus is doomed?

To reiterate what slacker said, none of us know the how or the time and place of our passing. We can make positive choices that give us the power to live abundantly and with joy and peace no matter what our individual circumstances are. In this world of overwhelming information, we can choose to find the "good" info that empowers us or the "bad" info that feeds our fear and steals our joy. None of us is any more "doomed" than anyone else, maybe turn "doomed" on its ear and use its energy to be convicted to beat the fear and find your hope.

[NF52]

Has anyone read the articles about herpes & alzheimers that are on the internet? Apparently this virus is particularly risky for people with the apoe4 gene. These articles are very scary because there`s nothing that can get rid of herpes. Does this mean that anyone who is apoe4 positive and carrying the herpes virus is doomed?

Not time to panic yet, my friend.
Just like not everyone who had chicken pox developed shingles, even before there was a shingles vaccine, the fact that one or more of the many Herpes Simplex viruses may contribute to a risk of Alzheimer's disease in people with ApoE 4, doesn't mean it automatically causes Alzheimer's (AD).

An association with one or more viruses and the risk of AD may actually be helpful, because scientists don't have to spend decades figuring out the structure of these viruses. In fact, they already have been studying the effect of anti-viral therapy in some populations. Of course, it's difficult to figure out whether something is working when it might take years or decades to show an effect. That's why usually studies are done in mice, who have been bred to develop an Alzheimer's-like disease and some of whom have also been bred to have ApoE 4. A one-year old mouse, I heard yesterday on a podcast, is like a 40 year old human. So you can give something to the mouse and within 6-9 months know if it's working.

Here's an important detail that didn't make it into the popular media articles on the risk:

It should be stressed that these results apply only to those with severe cases of HSV1 or VZV infection...

Corroboration of a Major Role for Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 in Alzheimer's Disease.

And here's another detail: rates of HSV-1 (the common cold sore variety) are falling.

the CDC has reported the most recent data for nationwide prevalence of HSV-1 and HSV-2 (obtained in the 2005-2010 cycle of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey). Overall, 54% of persons aged 14 to 49 had HSV-1 infection, and 16% had HSV-2 infection. Prevalence of HSV-1 infection declined steadily from 60% when first measured between 1979 and 1980.

https://www.jwatch.org/na33053/2013/12/ ... re-falling

The take-away I get from these articles is not that we're all doomed, but that we may be ever closer to a tool box full of tools to use to personalize treatment for many different risk factors that we might face. Finding a likely suspect is the first step to solving a crime--not the indication that we're in for a crime wave.

[Fiver]

Almost everyone carries some type of hsv virus. It appears from recent studies that *active* hsv1 (and similar) infections are the problem. When outbreaks are managed / prevented by anti-virals there was no elevated risk detected in the study. My personal take-away from these studies is that those with re-occurring infections might want to consider suppression therapy via an anti-viral. In the long-term, a vaccine would be very helpful for future generations, esp apoe4s.

[KatieS]

My almost 101 y/o 3/4 mom had bouts of HZV lip sores for decades. She stockpiled acyclovir and used it even when she thought she needed to ward off another outbreak. Unexpectedly she has not had any HZV in the last few years. She functions with assistance and is conversational with many friends. Now I am following this prudent approach of using anti-virals.

[hairyfairy]

Since I began intermittent fasting I haven`t had an outbreak, but I`m not optimistic enough to think that I`m cured.