There are many studies about what causes AD and I was reading something about virus related. In my husbands case - I remember he did have shingles several years ago as did his brother who died of AD and his mother, Does anyone else on the message board have any similar case?It is caused by the chickenpox virus . Just wondered??

I would like to read that study. Was it on the internet? Can you link it? Or did you read this in a magazine or newspaper?

By Googling "virus and alzheimer's", I found some articles(most recent Nov 2007) where studies linked AD to the herpes simplex(cold sore) virus.
From what I understand, they believe the herpes virus, in the brain, creates an environment for the plaques associated with AD to flourish.
I only skimmed the articles. Here are links to the 3 I found:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/01/070103110103.htm
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/main.jhtml?xml=/earth/2007/10/31/scikiss131.xml
http://www.abc.net.au/am/content/2007/s2080820.htm

The shingles virus is in this family. Here is another article:
http://www.advance-health.com/herpes.html

There are so many "reasons that could" be the cause,,but nothing concrete. What about people that have AD,,that have never had cold sores,,or shingles,,,yet still got AD??

Oh,,then I also read that AD is a specific type of diabetes of the brain! Who knows,,and to tell you the truth,,I feel AD is a huge money maker for Drs and the drug companies,,,I dont' feel that there's any rush for a cure. I also feel the same way about cancer,,another huge money maker for Drs and drug companies.

I know,,,I sound harsh,,but I think all of these articles are just that,,,nothing more than the paper they're printed on.

But how well I know that every day of our lives we all pray for a cure,,,think I'll just keep with my standard prayer and hope that something solid for a cure is found,,and soon. This is just my opinion. Peace

I read this on a site - Research Suggests Virus Link to Alzheimer's Disease - New York Times - Just google any question and several sites will appear. Since children , now, are being vaccinated against chickenpox, shingles should be thing of the past for most. But, older people were not vaccinated against chinckenpox years ago. Now they have an expensive medicine to give people over 60 (Zostavax) who have not had chickenpox and also for people who have had chickenpox - to lessen the degree of harm from shingles. This virus lays dormant for decades. I never knew there was a vaccine for Shingles - news to me. Guess it will take years, if it is a virus, to name it and treat it. It won't help my LO but hope for future generations.

I just read the entire NY Times article. Thank you, Asa. It is heartening to know, at least, that there ARE studies taking place.

As an aside, I don't know if they are giving booster vaccines regularly now, but when my kids got their vaccines, they only got one for chicken pox. My oldest got a horrible, horrible case, after. They were EVERYWHERE!! He was miserable.

Just my opinion, but I don't really think that anyone is sitting on cures for cancer or AD and not letting them out because they make money off the diseases. First off, too many hundreds or thousands of people involved in research to keep anything like that secret (any cure is worth a Nobel Prize) and second,while they may not make money from treating the disease for months or years if there is a cure, a cure is just that, a cure. A cure won't stop anyone from presenting with the disease, so patient numbers remain the same...and surely they will charge for administering a cure.

Seems it's mainly a disease of age. Not entirely, of course. But the older you get, the more likely you'll be afflicted with some form of dementia. --Jim

Then there are anomalies like my paternal great grandmother who had chickenpox, shingles (two outbreaks) and lived to be 101. Her mind was as sharp as a tack to the end. Complete with writing all of her own checks, knowing her bank balance to the penny and making her own stock trades.

On the maternal side my grandmother and one of her two sisters have had AD. The other sister who is the eldest shows no signs.

I wonder if it is all a combination of risk factors genetics, life style, viruses etc. like so many other things??

Still, very interesting.

My DF had shingles, too, but looking back, his AD symptoms had started before that. He had a pacemaker about 11 years ago and if we hadn't done that, he wouldn't have had to deal with the AD. Oh well, you do what you think is best. When he got the pacemaker, he just had mild forgetfulness. CAn't be worrying about that now.

Thanks for the article. Interesting stuff.

With all these studies, about diabetes, herpes virus, people with big tummies, etc., I think they are just finding that people in these groups have high incidences of AD. There are so many many healthy, intelligent, successful people who are stricken, and yet there are also millions who are the opposite, and don't get it at all. There doesn't seem to be a common factor...yet.

Here's another I came across:
Discovery Of Second Genetic Risk Factor For Late-Onset Alzheimer's Disease:
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/112929.php

While we here all know there is a connection between advanced age and AD/dementia, the incidences of EOAD are also rising quickly. 6-8% of AD sufferers are younger than 65, equaling over 300,000 victims.

I always thought until my husband at 58 was diagnosed with EOAD that only old people had the disease. I use to hear my grandparents call it "Old Timers". My husband was in perfect health, and this disease took him down. There are too many variables to know what causes it. I just wish they could find a cure so that no one else has to face this so early in life.