Maria Nagel, a neurologist at the University of Colorado in Aurora, is studying how viral infections affect the nervous system. She has observed a pattern where individuals with stable dementia experience severe declines following shingles outbreaks, suggesting the varicella zoster virus (VZV) may accelerate Alzheimer's progression. There's growing interest in how various infections could trigger neurodegeneration, challenging traditional views centered on amyloid-β and tau proteins. Researchers are increasingly open to exploring the relationship between infections and dementia, signaling a shift in the field's hypothesis regarding Alzheimer's pathology.
"They had a rapid decline in a one-year period, and ended up in a nursing home," she says.
"I was mentally opposing that idea for a long time. Now, Heneka says, 'I think it's an interesting hypothesis that deserves more studies.'"
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