United States: A newly published study shows that hits in the head can cause viruses that have stopped producing symptoms to become active again and remain in the brain which serves as the reason why multiple blows to the head raise chances of dementia. The consequences of extended inflammation may reactivate latent viruses, such as herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) — possibly playing a role in neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer’s and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), as reported by Livescience.
Viruses in the Brain
HSV-1 and other herpesviruses can remain in the body latent for years before recrudesce in response to factors such as stress or inflammation. The new study suggests to have new provocative factor for such a process and this factor, in particular, was the brain injury that could cause the reactivation of these viruses within the brain and the emergence of the abnormal protein responsible for dementia.
New Brain Models Offer Insight into Virus Reactivation
'Reanimated' herpes viruses lurking in the brain may link concussions and dementia https://t.co/fe3aLJyWzu
— Barbara Brooks (@Juneausmother) January 9, 2025
The mini-brain models underwent experiments to determine the possibility of concussions and other head injuries in reactivating viruses. The study concluded that both types of injury caused reactivation of HSV-1 and changed the brain cells to resemble early dementia. This research provides a potential approach to examining how the reactivation of viruses could contribute to chronic neuronal injury following head traumatization.
A Potential Solution
The study also shows that if hyperedness is prevented after brain injury, it may be possible to stop the reactivation of HSV-1 and possibly dementia. Later studies need to be conducted in animal models to support this theory but ant-inflammatory or ant-viral medication may help to erase viral reactivation and its impact on the brain, as reported by Livescience.