Activation of Endogenous Retrovirus, Brain Infections and Environmental Insults in Neurodegeneration and Alzheimer's Disease.
Int J Mol Sci
; 22(14)2021 Jul 06.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1485149
ABSTRACT
Chronic neurodegenerative diseases are complex, and their pathogenesis is uncertain. Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative brain alteration that is responsible for most dementia cases in the elderly. AD etiology is still uncertain; however, chronic neuroinflammation is a constant component of brain pathology. Infections have been associated with several neurological diseases and viruses of the Herpes family appear to be a probable cause of AD neurodegenerative alterations. Several different factors may contribute to the AD clinical progression. Exogeneous viruses or other microbes and environmental pollutants may directly induce neurodegeneration by activating brain inflammation. In this paper, we suggest that exogeneous brain insults may also activate retrotransposons and silent human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs). The initial inflammation of small brain areas induced by virus infections or other brain insults may activate HERV dis-regulation that contributes to neurodegenerative mechanisms. Chronic HERV activation in turn may cause progressive neurodegeneration that thereafter merges in cognitive impairment and dementia in genetically susceptible people. Specific treatment for exogenous end endogenous pathogens and decreasing pollutant exposure may show beneficial effect in early intervention protocol to prevent the progression of cognitive deterioration in the elderly.
Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Brain
/
Virus Diseases
/
Endogenous Retroviruses
/
Alzheimer Disease
Type of study:
Etiology study
/
Prognostic study
Limits:
Animals
/
Humans
Language:
English
Year:
2021
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Ijms22147263
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