Cold Sores Linked to Memory Problems

The virus that causes cold sores may be linked with cognitive problems, finds study published in Neurology.

The virus that causes cold sores may be linked with cognitive problems, finds study published in Neurology. The study found that people who have had higher levels of infection in their blood (measured by antibody levels), meaning they had been exposed over the years to various pathogens such as the herpes simplex type 1 virus that causes cold sores, were more likely to have cognitive problems than people with lower levels of infection in the blood.

"We found the link was greater among women, those with lower levels of education and Medicaid or no health insurance, and most prominently, in people who do not exercise," said author Mira Katan, MD, with the Northern Manhattan Study at Columbia University Medical Center in New York and a member of the American Academy of Neurology. The study was performed in collaboration with the Miller School of Medicine at the University of Miami in Miami, FL.

Cold Sores: Causes, Symptoms, Prevention & Treatment
Herpes labialis presents as a blister or cluster of small blisters that appear at the corner or edge of the lips which are painful and reddish purple in color.

For the study, researchers tested thinking and memory in 1,625 people with an average age of 69 from northern Manhattan in New York. Participants gave blood samples that were tested for five common low grade infections: three viruses (herpes simplex type 1 (oral) and type 2 (genital), and cytomegalovirus), chlamydia pneumoniae (a common respiratory infection) and Helicobacter pylori (a bacteria found in the stomach).

The results showed that the people who had higher levels of infection had a 25 percent increase in the risk of a low score on a common test of cognition called the Mini-Mental State Examination.

The memory and thinking skills were tested every year for an average of eight years. But infection was not associated with changes in memory and thinking abilities over time.

Quiz on Memory Loss

“Without memory, there is no culture. Without memory, there would be no civilization, no society, no future.” - Elie Wiesel

Whether it is a short term memory loss just as Dory in 'Finding Nemo' had or a more permanent one because of neurodegenerative diseases, it can adversely affect one's quality of life. Take this quiz to know more about interesting facts on memory loss / amnesia.

"While this association needs to be further studied, the results could lead to ways to identify people at risk of cognitive impairment and eventually lower that risk," said Katan. "For example, exercise and childhood vaccinations against viruses could decrease the risk for memory problems later in life."

Source-Eurekalert

Cure for Cold Sores on the Anvil
Cold sores, the painful blemishes of the mouth caused by the herpes simplex virus, may become a thing of the past, US researchers reported on Wednesday in the British weekly journal Nature.

Study Links Herpes Virus to Alzheimer's Disease
HSV1, the cause of the common cold sore, persists in a latent form inside nerve cells.