Microbes and Alzheimer’s Disease

Ruth F. Itzhaki(University of Manchester), Richard Lathe(University of Edinburgh), Brian J. Balin(Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine), Melvyn J. Ball(Oregon Health & Science University), Elaine L. Bearer(University of New Mexico), Heiko Braak(Universität Ulm), María J. Bullido(Biomedical Research Networking Center on Neurodegenerative Diseases), Christopher Carter(East Sussex County Council), Mario Clerici(Don Carlo Gnocchi Foundation), S. Louise Cosby(Queen's University Belfast), Kelly Del Tredici(Universität Ulm), Hugh J. Field, Tamàs Fülöp(Université de Sherbrooke), Claudio Grassi, W. Sue T. Griffin(University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences), Jürgen Haas(University of Edinburgh), Alan P. Hudson(Wayne State University), Angela R. Kamer, Douglas B. Kell(University of Manchester), Federico Licastro(University of Bologna), Luc Letenneur(Université de Bordeaux), Hugo Lövheim(Umeå University), Roberta Mancuso(Don Carlo Gnocchi Foundation), Judith Miklossy(Prevention Alzheimer International Foundation), Carola Otth(Austral University of Chile), Anna Teresa Palamara(Istituto Pasteur), George Perry(The University of Texas at San Antonio), Christopher Preston, Etheresia Pretorius(University of Pretoria), Timo Strandberg(Helsinki University Hospital), Naji Tabet(Brighton and Sussex Medical School), Simon D. Taylor‐Robinson(Imperial College London), Judith A. Whittum‐Hudson(Wayne State University)
Journal of Alzheimer s Disease
March 8, 2016
10.3233/jad-160152
Cited by 532Open Access
Full Text

Abstract

We are researchers and clinicians working on Alzheimer's disease (AD) or related topics, and we write to express our concern that one particular aspect of the disease has been neglected, even though treatment based on it might slow or arrest AD progression. We refer to the many studies, mainly on humans, implicating specific microbes in the elderly brain, notably herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV1), Chlamydia pneumoniae, and several types of spirochaete, in the etiology of AD. Fungal infection of AD brain has also been described, as well as abnormal microbiota in AD patient blood. The first observations of HSV1 in AD brain were reported almost three decades ago. The ever-increasing number of these studies (now about 100 on HSV1 alone) warrants re-evaluation of the infection and AD concept.

Related Papers

No related papers found

Powered by citation graph analysis