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Herpesvirus Reactivation After Concussions Could Explain Dementia

United States: Inflammation can reactivate viruses that have been previously sleeping in the brain, which may be useful to explain why concussions often lead to dementia, a new study reveals.

Concussions May Reactivate Dormant Viruses

Head traumas such as concussion predispose to dementia, and the evidence also suggests that the more a person sustains a blow to the head, the higher the probability of dementia. Neuroscientists are exploring what occurs in the brain post-injury, that might cause changes associated with dementia such as deposition of toxic proteins, and malfunctioning as well as death of neurons. Such changes are observed in conditions such as Alzheimer’s type dementia and the relatively newly discovered chronic traumatic encephalopathy or CTE, particularly in high contact sports, as reported by Livescience.

Some scientists think these changes may be linked to a common virus: herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1), the germ that is behind cold sores.

The Role of HSV-1 in Brain Injury and Dementia

The herpesviruses — this is a general category that also encompasses the chickenpox and mono viruses — are unique in that they have the capacity to integrate within the human body and become inactive before springing back to life at a later date. “These bacteria can persist in your body indefinitely,” said the lead author of the study, Dana Cairns, a postdoctoral research fellow at Tufts University. Cairns said that there is some data about how HSV-1 might sneak into the head and then just chill for years.

Herpesvirus Reactivation After Concussions Could Explain Dementia

Here, the authors have shown that physical trauma can reactivate dormant viruses in the brain, said Dr. Gorazd Stokin, who directs a neuroscience laboratory at the Institute of Molecular and Translational Medicine in the Czech Republic and works on related issues.

The new study was done in small versions of the brain, so more tests will have to be performed to demonstrate that they apply to humans. “But it’s a good first step to show something interesting,” said Stokin, who is also a consultant neurologist at the Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in the U.K.

Viruses in dementia

The notion that viruses cause dementia which was planted in 1991 by Ruth Itzhaki, who is one of the co-authors of the new paper. Sylvie Itzhaki and other researchers had fetched it in the brains of elderly men and women who had succumbed to Alzheimer’s disease. They later discovered that those with the coronavirus and ApoE4 gene, which increases susceptibility to Alzheimer’s, were more susceptible to the disease than people with just the gene. They also discovered that HSV-1 cannot be distinguishable in the body but can be reactivated due to stress or immunosuppression.

“There was a lot of opposition when she did most of the work,” Cairns summarised the early criticism of Itzhaki. This viral theory of dementia has remained a marginal idea for many years, but over the last few years, interest in the topic has risen. The situation is also much more favorable now for testing this theory: besides, scientists also have such valuable tools as lab models of the human brain.

Mini-Brain Models Shed Light on Viral Reactivation

The new research, announced on Tuesday (January 7 in Science Advances), used brain models that were at most 0.2 in (six millimeters) wide. The structures resemble doughnut-shaped sponges woven out of silk threads and incorporated with stem cells. In a specific chemical cocktail, the stem cells are encouraged to differentiate into brain cells that have one copy of ApoE4. Thus, since this genetic feature is ‘‘reasonably prevalent’’ in Alzheimer’s patients, Stokin pointed out, it fits well in a brain model.

These models the researchers infected with HSV-1 then treated the infected models with an antiviral drug to effectively place the virus in a dormant stage. They had established in previous studies that inflammation ‘awakes’ the virus and that these changes to brain cells also cause dementia. In that previous work, the researchers used the varicella-zoster virus, the same virus as chickenpox and shingles, to create the inflammation.

But “there are other things besides infection that cause inflammation, like injury,” Cairns said. “We wanted to understand if maybe injury could be doing something similar.”

In the new study, the team subjected the minibrains to models of two types of injury: serious head injury, which is akin to having the skull crack open, and Concussion, which is an injury that makes the brain move or twist inside the skull. In the concussion experiments, the mini brains were put into containers made by 3D printing and filled with the same liquid that is found in the braincase. These encased minibrains were then placed on a platform that was impacted with a piston.

In both experiments, the brains of the models got infected, and the HSV-1 in the brains started regenerating. Such alterations, such as the presence of proteins that are linked to dementia, were present in these infected brain models but not in the affected but non-infected through injury models.

The cells in the severe-injury experiment were so extensively compromised that they did not survive much longer; this did not make it possible to repeat the experiment because the cells had died, as observed in the case of the concussion experiment. The higher the dose and the frequency of the inoculation, the greater the extent of the dementia-like pathology of the affected models.

The Impact of Chronic Injury on Neurodegeneration

“The people that are exposed to more chronic injuries over time often clinically have the worst manifestations of neurodegeneration,” Cairns noted. “It [the experiment] really correlated very well with that concept.”

Further experiments by the team suggested that if inflammation is prevented after injury, HSV-1 cannot reactivate, and therefore, the signs of dementia cannot occur. This finding further bolstered the overall team results, said Stokin. However, because they have only been demonstrated in mini-brains, “if the same could be done in animal models, it would be useful,” he continued, as reported by Livescience.

Promising Results for Preventing Dementia After Injury

The researchers intend to use their brain models to test what could prevent the HSV-1 from re-emerging, and possibly, anti-inflammatory or anti-viral medications may be the solution, Cairns added.

“If you can block reactivation or somehow control the viral load … that would be beneficial,” Stokin said, assuming herpes truly is a missing link between brain injury and dementia.

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Every U.S. Rice Sample Tested Shows Arsenic, Cadmium, or Lead

Be smart about the rice you consume and how you prepare it to reduce your loved ones’ intake of potentially dangerous heavy metals.

United States: A new study by Healthy Babies, Bright Futures has uncovered that many rice brands sold in U.S. supermarkets—especially in cities like New York and Miami—contain measurable and potentially dangerous levels of heavy metals. Every single rice sample tested had detectable arsenic, with one-quarter exceeding FDA limits set for infant rice cereal, as reported by HealthDay.

Infant Rules Don’t Apply to All

Although the FDA implemented a maximum arsenic level for infant rice cereal in 2021, no such rule exists for regular rice consumed by millions—including toddlers and young children. Researchers stress this loophole as a public health concern.

Major Brands, Major Findings

The report tested rice from 145 brands including Trader Joe’s, Ben’s, and Goya. Results showed heavy metal concentrations ranging from 63 to 188 parts per billion (ppb), with some samples reaching as high as 240 ppb. Arsenic was the most commonly found, followed by cadmium.

TOXIC ARSENIC IN RICE INCREASES WITH TEMPERATURE & CO2
Multiple very bad health effects.
Risk already recognized
Danger limit being exceededhttps://t.co/MIa4xewDK0 #rice #climatechange. #globalwarming pic.twitter.com/Q7pTPlqcrm
— Peter D Carter (@PCarterClimate) May 16, 2025

Industry Response: Consumers Deserve Reassurance

The USA Rice Federation acknowledged consumer concerns but insisted current arsenic levels in rice pose no significant public health risk, as reported by HealthDay.

How to Reduce Your Risk

The report offers key tips for safer consumption:

Cook it like pasta: Drown your rice in water (6–10 cups per 1 cup of rice) and let it brew.

Switch it up: Switch to grains such as quinoa, barley, or couscous, since they contain less heavy metals.

Pick safer varieties: Look for white rice from California, sushi rice, Thai jasmine, or Basmati rice from India. Stay away from brown rice, Southern-grown white rice and arborio rice imported from Italy (Suggested Alternative: Skip those three varieties as they may contain higher levels of metals).

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News

Houston Wastewater Detected Measles Weeks Before Outbreak, Study Finds

Early detection and prevention of measles can be done by monitoring for the virus in wastewater.

United States: Measles virus showed up in Houston’s sewage water several weeks before the big measles outbreak happened in Texas in January, according to a new study.

Early Warning Signs in Wastewater

Wastewater samples taken on Jan. 7 were found to have measles virus DNA in them, which was reported by scientists in the American Journal of Public Health, as reported by HealthDay.

According to the researchers, the City of Houston Health Department found and reported two cases of measles in adults not vaccinated for the disease on January 17th. The survey is based on people living in the same areas where the water treatment plants supplied water.

Measles Resurgence in Texas

In all, 717 people in Texas had measles as of May 13, reported the Texas Department of State Health Services. Two children who have not been vaccinated have died.

#Measles in the #Sewers? #WastewaterSurveillance Offers Early Warning for #Outbreaks. #Houston @BCMTailorLabs @saracregeen @MikeTisza @bcmhouston @TEPHI_Texas @RiceUNews @UTHealthSPH #AJPH https://t.co/RNxDxBIaFV @DiscoverMag pic.twitter.com/xrlAPDCbsY
— From the Labs at Baylor College of Medicine (@BCMFromtheLabs) May 15, 2025

“With lessons learned from the Houston measles detection event, we are now working with our public health partners to gather data on the current measles outbreak in West Texas,” lead researcher Michael Tisza, an assistant professor of molecular virology and microbiology at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, said in a news release.

“Our program has been monitoring measles in wastewater from those sites as well, hoping the information can help officials get ahead of this virus,” Tisza said.

The sampled Houston treatment plans help more than 218,000 people, according to the researchers.

Researchers found that testing wastewater before an outbreak revealed that these methods can prepare officials for an infectious disease.

Wastewater Testing: A Promising Public Health Tool

“Systematically sequencing the genetic material in wastewater reveals dynamic changes in human viruses circulating in a community,” senior researcher Anthony Maresso, chair of molecular virology and microbiology at Baylor, said in a news release.

“Importantly, analyzing these viral changes in wastewater can improve our understanding of outbreaks and transmission and inform public health preparedness, just as one uses meteorological data to better understand and predict weather patterns to anticipate potentially dangerous conditions,” Maresso said.

According to the researchers, there had not been any measles viruses found in any of the 821 wastewater samples collected in Houston in the past 31 months.

“Because no other cases have been reported and the detections occurred in the same area where the travelers resided, it is reasonable to assume that the measles signal detected in wastewater is from the two infected cases, which underscores the high sensitivity of the method,” Maresso said.

Vaccination Still the Best Defense

Co-researcher Eric Boerwinkle, dean of the UTHealth Houston School of Public Health, said that “this work underscores the ability of sophisticated wastewater analyses to serve as an early detection system benefitting public health, healthcare, and communities in preventing a measles outbreak in Houston.”

If they haven’t already, Boerwinkle advised individuals to acquire the measles vaccine, as reported by HealthDay.

The best way to stop the contagion of measles is the MMR vaccine, since it has already proven to be both safe and effective.

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Health

Your Smartphone Might Predict How Well You Recover from Injury

With more smartphone data, there will be better ways to predict and guide recovery in orthopedics.

United States: According to a study published on May 9 in the Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery, smartphone data — including step count, walking speed, and gait — can predict how well someone recovers from bone or hip injuries. The findings suggest that mobility patterns before an injury may offer powerful insights into a patient’s post-surgical progress, as reported by HealthDay.

Data That Speaks Volumes

The study, led by Dr. Brian Shear at the University of Maryland Medical Center, followed 107 adults who had previously undergone surgery for a broken leg or hip. Using data from participants’ Apple iPhones, researchers analyzed their pre-injury activity levels — specifically, their steps, speed, and gait — and compared it with their recovery progress.

Patients who were more active before their injury tended to recover faster and return to mobility more easily. “This novel approach has the power to reshape how orthopedic care is delivered,” Dr. Shear explained.

A New Era of Personalized Rehab

The study found that patients with higher daily step counts before their injury had better recovery outcomes. Likewise, those with faster walking speeds and consistent gait patterns pre-injury also healed more effectively — highlighting the predictive value of everyday mobility metrics.

With this knowledge, doctors are able to plan treatments better, detect possible issues in patients’ progress earlier, and give patients more precise timelines for recovery.

Expanding the Technology’s Use

Senior researcher Nathan O’Hara, associate professor at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, announced plans to broaden the study’s scope to include other areas of orthopedics like sports medicine, joint replacement, and shoulder or foot surgery, as reported by HealthDay.

An app is also under development to support this initiative, with multicenter clinical trials expected to begin later this year.

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