Do viral pathogens increase the risk of neurodegenerative disease? Recent analysis of more than 400.000 patients across different biobanks point to several straightforward conclusions: - Increased risk of developing neurodegenerative diseases persists up to 15 years after a single initial virus infection; - The largest effect association was found between viral encephalitis exposure (caused by many viruses, including coronaviruses) and Alzheimer’s disease. - Influenza with pneumonia was significantly associated with five of the six neurodegenerative diseases studied. - The previously reported association between Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) infection and Multiple Sclerosis was also confirmed. What about vaccines and the risk for neurodegenerative diseases? (Anti-Vaxxers will love this part) - Influenza and pneumonia vaccination has been found to reduce the risk for Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. - Shingles (varicella-zoster) vaccination is associated with a reduced risk of dementia in both the United States and Wales. - Protection against bacterial and viral infection benefits the brain since these infections may activate dormant herpes simplex type 1 (HSV-1) and herpes zoster virus (HZV). HSV-1 and HZV can interact to trigger AD. Despite these findings, influenza vaccination coverage in the United States is typically less than 50%, and only about 35% of people over the age of 60 have received a shingles vaccine. In addition to vaccination, some studies suggest that using antivirals may reduce the risk of dementia. Antiviral target-specific drugs could also provide ways of ameliorating risk or halting neurodegeneration progression, but this remains a goal for future drug development. References: Viral pathogens increase risk of neurodegenerative disease nature.com/articles/s41582-0… Vaccination Reduces Risk of Alzheimer’s Disease, Parkinson’s Disease, and Other Neurodegenerative Disorders ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/article…