The Hidden Connection Between Herpes and Alzheimer’s

Originally published at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, on 7 January, 2025

A new study has uncovered a surprising link between Alzheimer’s disease and Herpes Simplex Virus-1 (HSV-1). Researchers found HSV-1 proteins embedded in Alzheimer’s brains, revealing how the virus is inhibited by tau protein—a key player in the disease. These insights could pave the way for innovative treatments targeting viral activity and the brain’s immune response to slow or even stop Alzheimer’s progression.


Picture: In green - herpes virus proteins. In red - Alzheimer’s tau. And also a merge image on the right. (Credit - Shemesh Lab)

New study led by Dr. Or Shemesh from the School of Pharmacy at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem has uncovered a surprising connection between Alzheimer’s disease and the Herpes Simplex Virus-1 (HSV-1). The research team used advanced techniques to identify 19 HSV-1-related proteins in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s, across all stages of the disease. This discovery strengthens the growing evidence that infections like HSV-1 might play a role in the development and progression of Alzheimer’s.

One key finding was the increased activity of a herpesvirus protein called ICP27, which became more prominent as the disease advanced. This protein was found to occupy the same space as tau, a brain protein that becomes harmful when it undergoes changes in Alzheimer’s disease, but it did not appear near amyloid plaques, another hallmark of the illness. This suggests that HSV-1 may directly affect tau and contribute to the changes seen in Alzheimer’s.

The team’s experiments with human brain organoids derived from stem cells revealed that HSV-1 infection can increase tau modifications at specific sites linked to Alzheimer’s disease

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