3 ms·

What we can do is realize that HSV-1 is not the problem. The fact that some individuals' immune system let it through hint that there is a more important causa

What we can do is realize that HSV-1 is not the problem. The fact that some individuals' immune system let it through hint that there is a more important causal issue somewhere. Herpes may be a simple symptom, not a disease. And maybe it's a symptom of a condition that is similar to the one that let Alzheimer’s set in. Who knows, maybe Alzheimer's is a symptom too of a more deep, complex and subtitle disorder.

StavrosK 8y ago
This made me realize that future humans will view our understanding of Alzheimer's the way we view people's understanding of AIDS in the 60s. "You mean they were getting Alzheimer's left and right, and they hadn't noticed it was caused/transmitted by X?!" Assuming there's some preventable cause or vector, anyway.
- chiefalchemist 8y ago
  It might be a long time before we know. The fact is the body / brain is exposed to a lot of chemicals and compounds that have __never__ been verified for safety - either alone or when combined with others. At this point there are simple too many of these and the combinations even larger. _If__ such things contribute to anything, we'll likely never know.
- jacobolus 8y ago
  Nitpick: AIDS wasn’t really noticed at all in the US until the beginning of the 1980s, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_HIV/AIDS https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_HIV/AIDS
  - ams6110 8y ago
    Prior to the late 1970s / early 1980s, the stigma associated with homosexuality was much stronger. Being gay, and having multiple sex partners, was something that most gay men would probably not admit to. In many areas it would be admitting to a crime. So in the case histories of early AIDS sufferers, that commonality may not have been clear.
baxtr 8y ago
Interesting thought. Btw: there are people who believe this the same with HIV. Pleas note: I’m not endorsing their thoughts in any way, just want to point out the similarity. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duesberg_hypothesis https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duesberg_hypothesis

StavrosK 8y ago

This made me realize that future humans will view our understanding of Alzheimer's the way we view people's understanding of AIDS in the 60s. "You mean they were getting Alzheimer's left and right, and they hadn't noticed it was caused/transmitted by X?!" Assuming there's some preventable cause or vector, anyway.

chiefalchemist 8y ago
It might be a long time before we know. The fact is the body / brain is exposed to a lot of chemicals and compounds that have __never__ been verified for safety - either alone or when combined with others. At this point there are simple too many of these and the combinations even larger. _If__ such things contribute to anything, we'll likely never know.
jacobolus 8y ago
Nitpick: AIDS wasn’t really noticed at all in the US until the beginning of the 1980s, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_HIV/AIDS https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_HIV/AIDS
- ams6110 8y ago
  Prior to the late 1970s / early 1980s, the stigma associated with homosexuality was much stronger. Being gay, and having multiple sex partners, was something that most gay men would probably not admit to. In many areas it would be admitting to a crime. So in the case histories of early AIDS sufferers, that commonality may not have been clear.

baxtr 8y ago

Interesting thought. Btw: there are people who believe this the same with HIV. Pleas note: I’m not endorsing their thoughts in any way, just want to point out the similarity. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duesberg_hypothesis https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duesberg_hypothesis