3. Avoiding or treating certain infections
The theory that some infections can raise the risk of dementia had long been seen as fringe. But in recent years, newer studies have started to reverse that perception. Researchers have found traces of herpesviruses in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients, as well as evidence that these infections can somehow contribute to the development of plaques and tangles, the damaging clumps of amyloid and tau proteins definitively linked to Alzheimer’s. It’s possible, though still very speculative, that infections from SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus, could also raise the risk of dementia.
There is still much disagreement about exactly how (and how often) these germs contribute to Alzheimer’s disease, and not all recent studies have been supportive of the theory. But there have been recently launched trials testing out whether antiviral treatments for older people with herpes can reduce their dementia risk down the road. So we may have more answers soon enough.
