I’m convinced a lot of diseases, MS, parkinsons, alzheimers, most cancers, are the result of bacterial or viral infections.

Building on a growing body of evidence linking viral infections with neurodegenerative disease, a new study published in Nature Communications has demonstrated how certain molecules on the surfaces of viruses can promote the aggregation of toxic proteins associated with diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

The idea that microbial infections can trigger neurodegenerative disease is not new. As far back as the 1950s scientists have been postulating ways an acute viral infection can lead to progressive neurological problems years, or even decades, later.

While evidence for this association is certainly growing, the mechanisms by which viral threats can influence the progression of brain diseases are still resolutely hypothetical. A common hypothesis speculates some viral infections may trigger abnormal immune responses that subsequently linger for years, ultimately generating neurological damage associated with some brain diseases.