Kissing may increase people’s risk of getting dementia.
Locking lips can lead to the spread of herpes simplex virus type one – which causes infections in or around the mouth – and a new study has looked into the potential impact of the condition.
Research carried out by the University of Illinois found the spread of the virus could cause the brain to become inflamed and may result in long-lasting effects, such as the degenerative condition – which causes a decline in thinking, memory, and reasoning skills.
The team also discovered the virus can travel from the nose to the nervous system.
Professor Deepak Shukla, research lead, said if an infected individual is “shedding the virus via tears”, and someone’s nose is close by and comes into contact with the particles of the virus via the person carrying HSV-1, it could go “more directly to the brain”.
Professor Sukla added: “The neurological consequences are severe.”