Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive form of dementia, which is a decline in mental capability that gets worse over time. The disease has three stages, with the final stage being the most severe and life-altering. Doctors cannot cure Alzheimer’s or slow its progression, but they can prescribe medication or recommend treatments for symptoms of the disease.
Is Herpes Linked to Dementia?
The herpes simplex type 1 virus (HSV-1), which causes cold sores, may make the body more vulnerable to Alzheimer’s if a specific variant of a particular gene is also present. The gene variant is known as ApoE-4 and has been linked to Alzheimer’s for many years. Some scientists, in fact, believe that ApoE-4 is not only a contributing factor to dementia but may actually be a causative factor.