Research published Tuesday is the first to connect the dots between a common herpes virus, head injury, and Alzheimer's.

Repeated head injuries suffered by sports players and military personnel — a known risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease — may induce dementia by reactivating the dormant herpes virus in neural tissues, according to laboratory experiments.

Scientists have long wondered about the mysterious origins of Alzheimer’s disease, with its hallmark protein tangles and plaques that slowly devastate the brain’s ability to form memories and function normally.

The oral herpes virus appears to be linked with Alzheimer’s disease, suggesting that the common infection might play a role in the disease, a new study published in the journal Cell Reports says. Herpes simplex virus 1 -- the virus behind oral herpes -- appears to trigger the appearance of tau protein in the brain, researchers say.

A chronic gut infection caused by a common virus may be linked to the progression of Alzheimer ’s disease, a new study has found. Cytomegalovirus, or HCMV, is one of nine herpes viruses that most people are exposed to in the first few decades of life. Unlike most herpes viruses, however, it is not considered to be sexually transmitted.

The University of Pittsburgh researchers uncovered a surprising link between Alzheimer’s disease and herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1) which suggests that viral infections may play a role in the disease.

A new study found a link between cytomegalovirus (CMV) and Alzheimer's disease. Here's what a neurologist wants you to know, plus how to protect yourself.