Good Ventures awarded a grant of $275,000 over two years to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center to complete an analysis of the impact of Herpes Simplex Virus 1 on Alzheimer’s pathology in mice. Preliminary results suggest that during reactivation, HSV1 can spread through facial nerves to the brain. In the context of aging, the repeated entry of the virus into the central nervous system can result in the development of Alzheimer’s plaques and cognitive impairment. The work is led by Professor Nancy Sawtell.
Good Ventures, with support from the Open Philanthropy Project, has been investigating how best to fund scientific research that might help reduce the future burden of Alzheimer's disease.