Herpes: having cold sores does not double the risk of developing dementia, according to a study

L’herpès multiplierait par deux le risque de démence

People who have contracted the herpes virus are twice as likely to develop dementia later in life, according to Swedish researchers.

The herpes virus is very common. Herpes simplex type 1 (HSV-1) is the most common herpes and causes the labial form. In other words, cold sores. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that two-thirds of the world's population is infected.

S’they can be contagious, through contact with the oral mucous membranes, "cold sores" are most often considered benign. But what is their long-term impact ?

Herpes simplex in the first line

Researchers from Uppsala University in Sweden studied 1,000 septuagenarians over a period of 15 years. By analyzing the serum (part of the blood fluid that remains after clotting) of the participants, the authors observed that people carrying antibodies "anti-herpes simplex virus" – those who had been infected with the virus – were twice as likely to develop dementia as those who had never been infected.

Their observations therefore confirm other previous research. Namely the potential role of viral infections, in particular herpes simplex, in the development of neurodegenerative diseases such as dementia and Alzheimer's disease.

"Mounting evidence points to herpes simplex virus as a risk factor for dementia &amp ;quot;, explain the researchers. These results highlight the importance of investigating whether antiviral drugs used against the virus could potentially reduce the risk of dementia.