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NewsIrritating mouth symptom linked to large increase in dementia riskA new study has found that a virus symptom that appears on the lips could mean that you're more likely to develop

dementia.getsurreyBookmarkShareCommentsNewsByFiona CallinghamLifestyle writer03:00, 3 JUN 2025BookmarkA new study has identified a link between cold sores and risk of Alzheimer's disease

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A symptom manifesting on the lips could potentially indicate a higher likelihood of developing dementia, recent research has suggested. This viral symptom has been associated with an 80 per

cent heightened risk of Alzheimer's disease.

According to the study, published in the British Medical Journal, the herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), a common virus causing herpes and cold sores, might play a part in the onset of

Alzheimer's. Previous studies have drawn a connection between HSV-1 and Alzheimer's, but this research aimed to delve further into this correlation.

As part of the research, the team scrutinised medical records of over 300,000 individuals aged 50 and above. Participants were divided into two groups of equal numbers, distinguished by

those diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease and those without such a diagnosis.

As cited by Alzheimer's Research UK, it was discovered that 1,507 (0.44 per cent) of participants diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease had a history of HSV-1 infection, compared with

823 (0.22 per cent) without an Alzheimer's diagnosis. It was concluded that individuals with an HSV-1 infection had an 80 per cent increased risk of Alzheimer's.

simplex virus is an infection that causes cold sores and genital herpes. (Image: Getty)

This held true even when other factors, such as carrying two copies of the APOE4 gene, a known risk factor for Alzheimer's, were considered. Moreover, individuals who had taken

medication to treat the virus were found to be 17 per cent less likely to develop Alzheimer's compared to those not on any medication.

However, it's crucial to acknowledge certain limitations within this research. Dr Sheona Scales, director of Research at Alzheimer's Research UK, said: "Despite the large sample

size, this research is based on information gathered from using health records and administrative claims data, which often are based on people self-reporting their conditions.

"Most people infected with HSV-1 don't have any symptoms so some infections might not have been recorded. Infections predating the information recorded are also not available. Although

cases were matched with controls, diagnosing Alzheimer's disease, especially in the early stages, remains a challenge."