It has been long suspected that there is an active connection between cold sores and Alzheimers and recent studies have confirmed this as a fact. There is a gene which uses the herpes virus as a trigger for the development of Alzheimer's disease. This gene is known as ApoE-4 which has already been recognized as one of the major factors that lead to this dreaded disease in old age.

Cold Sores And Alzheimers - What Can Be Done To Prevent It

Unfortunately, until now it is still not clear how the cold sores influence the development of Alzheimer's disease, though it is completely clear that this is some kind of a trigger. The gene ApoE gene has many other components such as ApoE-2 and ApoE-3 that do not play any role in the development of this disease. Only those people who have ApoE-4 gene strain fall prey to this problem.

There are many possibilities which are currently studied by scientists the world over. One such study that looks into the connection between cold sores and Alzheimers points at the possibility that Alzheimers could be prevented if the damage in the brain caused by the herpes virus be repaired in time. The knowledge that only those people who have the ApoE-4 gene are at risk, narrows the scope of the research considerably, though no concrete treatment has been found effective until date.

Some scientists are of the opinion that cold sores and Alzheimers connection lies in the fact that the herpes virus destroys the ability of the brain cells to reconnect and therefore develop into Alzheimers at later stages. This is because some studies show that the ApoE gene overall acts as some type of bodyguard against infection besides playing the role of a ferry for cholesterol. People who have no ApoE gene at all did not seem to develop any link between cold sores and Alzheimers.

The ApoE-4 gene also seems to slow down the ability of the brain cells to recover from injury or reconnect with receptors following any trauma, while those with ApoE-2 gene were able to keep the herpes virus from infecting the brain.

Can Herpes Lead To Prevention Alzheimer's Disease

The findings of the research studies are still inconclusive, but from whatever has been disseminated until now, it looks that this link could in one way or other work towards the discovery of a preventive method which would benefit those who are at risk of developing Alzheimers in their old age.