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Cold Sore Virus Linked To Higher Alzheimer's Risk

Flickr user Monique Wingard / "Cleveland Walk to End Alzheimer's" (CC v 2.0)

The virus that causes cold sores may be linked to an increased risk of Alzheimer's disease.

That's according to two studies in the journal Alzheimer's & Dementia. Researchers found being a carrier for cold sores, or herpes simplex virus, almost doubled a person's risk in developing Alzheimer's.

Hugo Lövheim, the author of both studies and an associate professor of geriatric medicine at Umeå University in Sweden, says these findings could mean more opportunities to develop treatment options for the disease.