Virus exposure and neurodegenerative disease risk across national biobanks

With recent findings connecting the Epstein-Barr virus to an increased risk of multiple sclerosis and growing concerns regarding the neurological impact of the coronavirus pandemic, we examined potential links between viral exposures and neurodegenerative disease risk. Using time series data from FinnGen for discovery and cross-sectional data from the UK Biobank for replication, we identified 45 viral exposures significantly associated with increased risk of neurodegenerative disease and replicated 22 of these associations. The largest effect association was between viral encephalitis exposure and Alzheimer's disease. Influenza with pneumonia was significantly associated with five of the six neurodegenerative…

• UD
  U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

  Award: ZO1 AG000535
• NI
  National Institutes of Health

  Award: ZO1 AG000535
• MR
  Medical Research Council

  Award: MC_PC_17228
• NI
  National Institute on Aging

  Awards: ZO1 AG000535, AG000535
• NI
  National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

  Award: 33601