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Cited by 30Alzheimer's disease research and treatmentsDementia and Cognitive Impairment ResearchNeuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration Mechanisms

The Viral Hypothesis in Alzheimer’s Disease: Novel Insights and Pathogen-Based Biomarkers

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Naughton, Sean X, Raval, Urdhva, Pasinetti, Giulio M.·2020·Journal of Personalized Medicine
DOI 10.3390/jpm10030074PMC PMC7563893
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Abstract

Early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and the identification of significant risk factors are necessary to better understand disease progression, and to develop intervention-based therapies prior to significant neurodegeneration. There is thus a critical need to establish biomarkers which can predict the risk of developing AD before the onset of cognitive decline. A number of studies have indicated that exposure to various microbial pathogens can accelerate AD pathology. Additionally, several studies have indicated that amyloid-β possess antimicrobial properties and may act in response to infection as a part of the innate immune system. These findings have led some to speculate that certain types of infections may play a significant role in AD pathogenesis. In this review, we will provide an overview of studies which suggest pathogen involvement in AD. Additionally, we will discuss a number of pathogen-associated biomarkers which may be effective in establishing AD risk. Infections that increase the risk of AD represent a modifiable risk factor which can be treated with therapeutic intervention. Pathogen-based biomarkers may thus be a valuable tool for evaluating and decreasing AD risk across the population.

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  • Jamieson et al. in 1991 identified Herpes Simplex Virus type 1 DNA in Alzheimer's disease brains.

    “First hinted at by Oskar Fischer in 1907 and later substantiated by Jamieson et al. in 1991, who identified Herpes Simplex Virus type 1 (HSV-1) DNA in AD brains, the idea that infections contribute to AD pathogenesis has steadily gained traction over the past three decades [162].”

    From Toward a Unified Framework in Molecular Neurobiology of Alzheimer’s Disease: Revisiting the Pathophysiological Hypotheses (2026) · cites this paper as [162]

    Section 2.1 discusses herpesviruses in Alzheimer’s disease brains, but does not say that Jamieson et al. identified HSV-1 DNA there in 1991. Searches for Jamieson, 1991, and the claimed HSV-1 DNA finding found no passage addressing that specific attribution. (LLM, conf=0.70)

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Cited by

Sorted by citations

Authors
Naughton, S. X., Raval, U., & Pasinetti, G. M.
Affiliations
  • Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (US)
  • James J. Peters VA Medical Center (US)
Corresponding author
Pasinetti, Giulio M.
ORCID
Venue
Journal of Personalized Medicine
Publisher
MDPI AG
Published
2020-07-29
Volume
10
Issue
3
Pages
74
ISSN
2075-4426 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.3390/jpm10030074
PMC
PMC7563893
OpenAlex
W3046209347
Cited by
30
References
5
Citations by year
2026: 5 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 8 · 2020: 2
FWCI
0.51
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Journal of Personalized Medicine (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Funders
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (3P50AT008661-05S1)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Alzheimer's disease research and treatments
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Dementia and Cognitive Impairment Research
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Neurology › Neuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration Mechanisms
Keywords
Alzheimer's disease, viral hypothesis, pathogenic microorganisms, infection, amyloid-beta, antimicrobial activity, innate immunity, biomarkers, early diagnosis, risk factors, neurodegeneration

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