Viral infections and the risk of neurodegenerative diseases: a comprehensive meta-analysis and systematic review, 2025, Liu et al

[Jaybee00]

Viral infections and the risk of neurodegenerative diseases: a comprehensive meta-analysis and systematic review, 2025, Liu et al

Viral infections and the risk of neurodegenerative diseases: a comprehensive meta-analysis and systematic review

Spoiler: Authors

Liu, Ru-Yin; Yin, Kang-Fu; He, Sheng-Yi; Su, Wei-Ming; Duan, Qing-Qing; Wen, Xiang-Jin; Chen, Ting; Shen, Cong; Li, Ju-Rong; Cao, Bei; Chen, Yong-Ping

Abstract​

Background​

Viral infections have been implicated in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases (NDs); however, evidence linking specific viruses to Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Parkinson’s disease (PD), and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) remains inconclusive. This study conducted a meta-analysis and systematic review to investigate these associations.

Methods​

Thorough searches were conducted across Embase, PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science and Scopus until May 18, 2025, to identify observational studies investigating the relationship between viral infections and the risk of NDs, including AD, PD, and ALS. Meta-analyses were executed using a random-effects model with Stata MP18.0.

Results​

A total of 34,417 articles were identified, of which 73 met the eligibility criteria for inclusion in the meta-analysis, and 48 were included in the systematic review. The analysis demonstrated that infections with cytomegalovirus (CMV) (odds ratio [OR] = 1.41; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.03, 1.93), severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) (OR = 1.88; 95% CI: 1.53, 2.32), hepatitis C virus (HCV) (OR = 1.39; 95% CI: 1.14, 1.69), and human herpesvirus (HHV) (OR = 1.24; 95% CI: 1.02, 1.51) were associated with an increased risk of AD. Regarding PD, infections with hepatitis B virus (HBV) (OR = 1.18; 95% CI: 1.04, 1.35) and HCV (OR = 1.29; 95% CI: 1.18, 1.41) were identified as risk factors. Conversely, no significant correlation was found between any viral infection and the risk of ALS.

Conclusion​

This meta-analysis supports the role of select viral infections in AD and PD pathogenesis. However, no association was found between viral infections and ALS, warranting further large, multicenter, and longitudinal studies to elucidate mechanisms and confirm causality.




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[duncan]

I wonder what the difference is between neurodegenerative diseases and neuropsychiatric ones (not including things like brain cancer.)

Would ME/CFS potentially qualify as neurodegenerative? I realize there's little data in that regard, And It would have to be a very very slow progression...

I know I am worse across cognitive domains than I was 25 years ago when I started my ME/CFS journey. Worse balance wise too. Sleep wise as well. Pretty much everything that might fall under that neuro umbrella.

 

[Mij]

It's hard to say in my case. Since menopause= worse sleep=worsens cognition on some days but improves on others. My balance/gait got a little worse after getting a vestibular virus 5 years ago, but now it's improving and I'm able to do leg lifts and standing on one leg for 60 seconds x2/day and that helps.

I feel in my case (34yrs ME) that re-activating viruses/lowered immune response and got shingles last January. My mother developed dementia soon after getting shingles.

Everyone should get Shingrix vaccines because a recent large study shows that it can lower the risk of dementia by 20%. Getting mine in January.