HSV-1 as a Potential Driver of Alzheimer's Disease

Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) is a continuous health challenge, and current antiviral treatments cannot cure the virus. As life expectancy continues to increase worldwide, HSV-1 should remain a focus to minimize its associated health complications within the aging population. While often asymptomatic, HSV-1 causes oral and cutaneous lesions and establishes latency with periodic reactivation. Antivirals reduce symptoms but do not eradicate the virus. Emerging evidence links HSV-1 to Alzheimer's disease (AD) via chronic neuroinflammation, amyloid-beta and tau accumulation, oxidative stress, and synaptic dysfunction, with viral proteins detected in AD-affected brain regions. This review assesses the current evidence for HSV-1 in dementia pathogenesis, examines antiviral strategies as potential neuroprotective interventions, and outlines the experimental models required to establish causality.