In past research, it was found that the Herpes virus, known as the herpes virus (Herpes Simplex HSV-1), damages the brain. A new study offers more insight into how the viral attack spreads.
The study, conducted by researchers from the University of Colorado and the University of Bourgogne in France, closely examined the effects of the HSV-1 virus on the brains of mice, mapped the different affected areas and evaluated what the consequences might be.
HSV-1 can reach the central nervous system in two ways, but how the infection spreads within the brain remains unclear. “Recently, this common virus has been linked to neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, but a clear pathway of central nervous system invasion has not been identified,” says Christy Niemeyer, a neuroscientist at the University of Colorado. “Determining how HSV-1 can enter the brain and which brain areas are vulnerable is key to understanding how it initiates the disease,” he said.
The researchers also looked at the activity of microglia (internal immune cells of the central nervous system), which become inflamed when interacting with HSV-1 in mouse brains. In some areas, inflammation appeared to persist after the virus had passed.
It has been found that in the most severe cases, HSV-1 can cause encephalitis, a life-threatening condition in which inflammation affects the entire brain. Neurologist Niemeyer said, “Although the presence of HSV-1 does not cause full-blown encephalitis in the brain, it can affect the functioning of these regions. “Continuously inflamed cells can lead to chronic inflammation, which is known to be a trigger for a number of neurological and neurodegenerative diseases,” he said.
The research suggested that inflammation associated with HSV-1 and microglia may be part of the reason why Alzheimer’s takes hold in some brains or may have some effect on the rate at which Alzheimer’s progresses.
DHA