Abstract
Two recent studies provided new evidence on the latency of HSV-1 DNA in 15.5% of olfactory bulbs and in 72.5% of trigeminal nerves from human corpses at forensic postmortems (1) and in 35% of 40 autopsied human brains (2). In the latter brains, latent HSV-1 DNA was found in the olfactory bulbs, amygdala, hippocampus, brain stem, and trigeminal ganglia. Although in these studies it is not known by which route HSV-1 entered the olfactory bulbs and brain, experimental studies in mice (3) revealed that injection of HSV-1 into the olfactory bulbs leads to virus migration into the brain amygdala and hippocampus via the olfactory nerve and locus coeruleus. If the olfactory ciliary nerve epithelium is the port of entry of HSV-1 into the olfactory bulbs and brain in humans as well, protection of the nose against HSV-1 infection may be needed to prevent virus latency in neurons in the amygdala and hippocampus (3). Infection of humans by HSV-1 was estimated to increase from 18.2% in the 0–20 year population group to 100% in persons older than 60 years (1), indicating that worldwide human populations at all ages are at risk of brain infection by the olfactory nerve route. In addition, both primary infection and reactivation of latent DNA in the brain may lead to damage of neurons in the brain involved in memory, learning, and behavior, as observed in infected, acyclovirtreated mice (3). The current introduction of a live apathogenic varicella-zoster virus (VZV) vaccine to immunize children against chickenpox (4) may suggest that the time is ripe for immunization of children and adults against HSV-1 infections, especially infections by the olfactory nerve route, to prevent potential brain damage.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Liedtke W., Opalka B., Zimmerman C.W., and Lignitz E., J Neurol Sci116 6–11, 1993.
Baringer J.R. and Pisani P., Ann Neurol36 823–829, 1994.
McLean J.H., Shipley M.T., Bernstein D.I., and Corbett D., Exp Neurol122 209–222, 1993.
Goodpasture F.W. and Teague O.J., Med Res44 121–133, 1923.
Slavin H.B. and Berry G.P., J Exp Med78 315–321, 1943.
Beers D.R., Henkel J.S., Schaffer D.C., Rose J.W., and Stroop W.G., J Neuropathol Exp Neurol52 241–252, 1993.
Päivärinta M.A., Marttila R.J., Lönnberg P., and Rinne U.K., Neurosci Lett156 1–4, 1993.
Hopkins I.J., Aust Pediatr10 273–276, 1974.
Shahar E.M., Hwang P.A., Niesen C.E., and Murphy G., Pediatrics88 276–279, 1991.
Kyllerman M.G., Herner S., Bergström T.B., and Ekholm S.E., Pediatr Neurol9 227–229, 1993.
Marinesco G. and Dragonesco S., Ann Inst Pasteur37 753–783, 1932.
Talamo B.R., Rudel R.A., Kosik K.S., Lee V.M-Y., Neff S., Adelman L., and Kaner J.S., Nature337 736–739, 1989.
Gautrin D. and Gauthier S., Can J Neurol Sci16 378–387, 1989.
Pogo B.G.T., Casals J., and Elizan T.S., Brain110 907–915, 1987.
Deatly A.M., Haase A.T., Fewster P.H., Lewis E., and Ball M.J., Neuropathol Appl Neurobiol16 213–223, 1990.
Mohammed A.K., Magnusson O., Maehlen J., Fonnum F., and Norrby E., Neuroscience35 355–363, 1990.
Saudou F., Amora D.A., Dierich A., LeMeur M., Ramboz S., Segu L., Buhot M., and Hen R., Science265 1875–1878, 1994.
Becker Y. in Becker Y. and Darai G. (eds).Pathogenicity of Human Herpesviruses due to Specific Pathogenicity Genes. Frontiers of Virology. Springer-Verlag, Heidelberg, 1994, pp 370–380.
Fokkens W.J., Vroom T.M., Rijntjes E., and Mulden P.G.H., Allergy44 167–172, 1989.
Katz S.I., Tamaki K., and Sachs D.H., Nature282 324–326, 1979.
Sprecher E. and Becker Y., Arch Virol126 253–269, 1992.
Sprecher E. and Becker Y., In Vivo7 217–227, 1993.
Sprecher E. and Becker Y., Arch Virol132 1–28, 1993.
Hosoi J., Murphy G.F., Egan C.L., Lerner E.A., Grabbe S., Asahina A., and Granstein R.D., Nature363 159–163, 1993.
Amara S.G., Jonas V., Rosenfeld M.G., Ong E.S., and Evans R.M., Nature298 240–244, 1982.
Dalsgaard C.-J., Jernbeck J., Stains W., Kjartanssson J., Haëgerstrand J., Haëgerstrand A., Hökfelt T., and Brodin E., Histochemistry91 3538, 1989.
Nawa H., Hirose T., Takashima H., Inayama S., and Nakanishi S., Nature306 32–36, 1983.
Stjärne H., Lundblad L., Änggard A., Hökfelt T., and Lundberg J.M., Cell Tissue Res256 439–446, 1989.
Baker H., Brain Res54 295–298, 1990.
Buck L. and Axel R., Cell65 175–187, 1991.
Graziadei P.P.C. and Monti Graziadei G.A., J Neurocytol8 1–18, 1979.
Breer H., Shepherd G.M., TINS16 5–9, 1993.
Lowe G. and Gold G.H., Nature366 283–286, 1993.
Breer H., Klemm T., and Boekhoff I., NeuroReport3 1030–1032, 1992.
Boekhoff I. and Breer H., Proc Natl Acad Sci USA89 471–474, 1992.
Shepherd G.M., Physiol Rev53 864–916, 1972.
Shipley M.T., Halloran F., and La Torre J., Brain Res329 294–299, 1985.
McLean J.H. and Shipley M.T., J Comp Neurol304 467–477, 1991.
Shipley M.T., Brain Res Bull15 129–142, 1985.
McLean J.H., Shipley M.T., and Bernstein D.I., Brain Res Bull22 867–881, 1989.
Merkel K.H.H. and Maibach E.A., Histochem J16 467–469, 1984.
Tomlinson A.H. and Esiri M.M., J Neurol Sci60 473–484, 1983.
Barnett E.M., Cassell M.D., and Perlman S., Neurosci57 1007–1025, 1993.
Stroop W.G., Rock D.L., and Fraser N.W., Lab Invest51 27–38, 1984.
Olton D.S. in Seifert W. (ed).Neurobiology of the Hippocampus. Academic Press, London, 1983.
Friedman H.R. and Goldman-Rakic P., Neurosci8, 4693–4706.
Olton D.S., Branch M., and Best P.J., Exp Neurol58, 587–609.
Olton D.S., Walker J.A., and Gage F.H., Brain Res139, 295–308.
Becker J.T., Walker J.A., and Olton D.S., Brain Res200, 307–320.
Olton D.S. and Papas B.C., Neuropsychologia17, 669–682.
Low W.C., Lewis P.R., Bunch S.T., Dunnet S.B., Thomas R., Iversen S.D., Bjorklund A., and Stenevi U., Nature300 260–262, 1982.
Morris R.J., Neuroscience14 1025–1032, 1984.
Griffin D.E., Levine B., Tyor W.R., and Irani D.N.A., Semin Immunol4 111–119, 1992.
Fokkens W.J., Vroom T.M., Rijntjes E., and Mulder P.G.H., Allergy44 167–172, 1989.
Katz S.I., Tamaki K., and Sachs D.H., Nature282 324–326, 1979.
Nash A.A. and Cambouropoulos P., Semin Virol4 181–185, 1993.
Gibbs W.W., Sci Am272 76–83, 1995.
White C.J., Kuter B.J., Hildebrand C.S., Isganitis K.L., Matthrew H., Miller W.J., Provost P.J., Ellis R.W., Gerety R.J., and Calandra G.B., Pediatrics87 604–610, 1991.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Becker, Y. HSV-1 brain infection by the olfactory nerve route and virus latency and reactivation may cause learning and behavioral deficiencies and violence in children and adults: A point of view. Virus Genes 10, 217–226 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01701811
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01701811