Antivirals as a cure for Dementia?

The number of people living with dementia in New Zealand is expected to double over the next 20 years, an alarming trend that is reflected throughout the world. This represents not just a lot of human suffering, but a major health and economic issue. The economic cost of dementia in New Zealand was assessed as $2.46B in 2020, and is expected to rise to nearly $6B in 2050 unless something can be done – but currently there is no cure.

Age has been identified as the greatest risk factor for dementia, and there are a number of other lifestyle and health-related risk factors, such as smoking, brain injury and alcohol use. But now there is growing evidence of links between viral infections and  neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and other forms of dementia, which may open the door for potential treatments or cures.

Recent studies have found evidence of strong links between specific viruses and neurodegenerative diseases, and the finger has been pointed squarely at four common viruses – herpes simplex virus, Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), influenza and varicella zoster virus (VZV). One study, published in the journal Neuron, reported that people who had suffered viral encephalitis* were 20 to 30 times more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia – still not definitive causation, but certainly a strong correlation.

*Viral encephalitis is inflammation of the brain, and can be caused by a multitude of different viruses, including HSV-1, West Nile virus, Varicella zoster virus (causes chickenpox and shingles), and Epstein-Barr virus.

 Antiviral medications may hold at least part of the answer as we look for ways to treat and prevent damaging neurological disease. Treating viral infections early, before they potentially contribute to neurodegeneration, may be key, as treating the underlying viral infection may not be able reverse any existing damage.

Kimer Med is buoyed by some of our recent results against a group of viruses linked to neurodegenerative disease, and hopeful that with enough time and resources we will be able to contribute to an antiviral prevention or treatment that will reduce the costs and human suffering caused by dementia.