Alzheimer research links herpesvirus infection and impaired brain cleaning to faster disease progression

A study in genetically engineered mice found that infection with a murine herpesvirus accelerated memory loss, increased abnormal protein buildup and caused greater neuronal loss in the hippocampus. The researchers highlighted the role of T‑cells in driving this heightened risk of dementia. The work, published in Oxford Academic, suggests that chronic herpesvirus infections may hasten Alzheimer’s disease by provoking sustained immune responses.

Another investigation examined brain tissue from 185 donors, including individuals with Alzheimer’s, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal degeneration. The researchers reported an accumulation of wasteosomes (corpora amylacea) linked to a malfunctioning glymphatic system, the brain’s waste‑clearance pathway. Published in Acta Neuropathologica Communications, the study proposes that impaired brain cleaning could contribute to the progression of neurodegenerative disorders.