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Alzheimer's risk 10 times lower with herpes medication New results could change the face of Alzheimer's treatment; the herpes simplex virus is found to play a vital role in the condition, and antiherpetic medication is shown to have a dramatic effect on dementia risk. Last month, Medical News Today reported on a study that found "strong evidence" that viruses are involved in Alzheimer's disease. The postmortem analyses of brain tissue found that people who lived with this dementia type also had more herpesviruses 6 and 7 than people without Alzheimer's. Now, a scientific commentary suggests that the study that MNT covered is not the only one to pinpoint a link between herpes and dementia.
n fact, three more studies have strengthened this link, and the commentary — recently published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease – takes a look at all three. Ruth Itzhaki, who is a professor of neuroscience and experimental psychology at the University of Manchester in the United Kingdom, alongside Richard Lathe, who is a professor in the Division of Infection and Pathway Medicine at the University of Edinburgh, also in the U.K., authored the commentary. 'Remarkable magnitude of antiviral effect' The studies referenced in the
commentary are two articles (Tsai et al., 2017, and Chen et al., 2018) that suggest that acute herpes zoster infection puts people at a higher risk of dementia, and one article that shows that aggressive treatment with antiherpetic medication drastically lowers dementia risk. The latter study — deemed "most important" by Profs. Itzhaki and Lathe — examined 8,362 people aged 50 and above who received a diagnosis of herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection, as well as a control group of 25,086 age-matched healthy people. The two groups were followed for almost a decade, between
2001 and 2010. In the herpes group, the risk of dementia was over 2.5 times higher than in the control group. Significantly, the study also revealed that aggressive antiviral treatment reduced the relative risk of dementia by 10 times. Prof. Lathe comments on these new findings, saying, "Not only is the magnitude of the antiviral effect remarkable, but also the fact that — despite the relatively brief duration and the timing of treatment — in most patients severely affected by HSV1 it appeared to prevent the longterm damage in [the] brain that results in Alzheimer's."...Read More
How do you know if you have pernicious anemia? Pernicious anemia is an autoimmune condition that leads to a lack of red blood cells. A deficiency in vitamin B-12 causes it. A person with pernicious anemia may experience: tiredness shortness of breath shiny or smooth, red tongue pale skin chest pain numb feeling in the hands or
feet balance difficulties poor coordination slow reflexes confusion depression Pernicious anemia is a rare condition that 0.1 percent of people are thought to be affected by, with a higher occurrence among those over 60 years of age. This article explains the symptoms of pernicious anemia,
and how it differs from other types of anemia. It also discusses available treatments. How is it caused? Pernicious anemia is a type of anemia, which is when a person is unable to make enough red blood cells. Pernicious anemia is the result of a problem with the immune system. When a person has pernicious anemia, their gut does not absorb vitamin B-12 properly.
This causes a vitamin B-12 deficiency. Up to 50 percent of adults with a vitamin B-12 deficiency may have pernicious anemia. People find vitamin B-12 in the following foods: Eggs dairy products poultry meat Shellfish ...Read More
High blood pressure may increase dementia risk According to the latest research, having elevated blood pressure as an older adult predicts an increase in one of the hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease. The study authors also saw an increased risk of brain lesions. High blood pressure, or hypertension, is known to put pressure on the body, leading to disease. Over the years, it has become
increasingly clear that having higher-thannormal blood pressurefor a sustained amount of time can impact the brain. Causing impairments to memory, attention, and processing speed, hypertension has a key role in brain aging; it is also linked with dementia. More than 100 million people in the United States have
hypertension, and worldwide, it impacts almost a third of all adults. Given the size of the affected population, understanding the risks associated with raised blood pressure is paramount. Hypertension and the brain Recently, researchers from the Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center at Rush University
Medical Center in Chicago, IL, set up a study to look for links between blood pressure and physical markers of brain health in older adults. The findings are published this week in the journal Neurology. Study coauthor Dr. Zoe Arvanitakis explains the types of pathology they were searching for….Read More
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