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So far, some links between the herpes virus and neurological conditions have been noticed, though the real nature of the link has not been known.

Recently, researchers from the University of Pennsylvania found the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV), which could infect and multiply in human neurons, according to a study.

Even though the information does not really show proof of the causality between these viruses and neurological diseases, such as Alzheimer's and multiple sclerosis, it does show that viral infections might be beneath these disorders.

With the help of genetically-modified viruses that express 'green fluorescent protein' (GFP) and infected human neurons, and also 'microscope monitoring', scientists could see the protein expression of the viruses. In both kinds of infections, scientists found that the fluorescent signal appeared in the affected neuronal cells, even while key viral proteins also appeared.

"I couldn't believe it," said Erle Robertson, who oversaw the study, according to a press release."After 50 years of studying EBV, nobody had ever seen the virus in nerve cells. But maybe they just never looked."

However, more research is needed to establish the relationship between herpes viruses and neurological disorders.

"There's likely to be association of this virus with neurons," said Robertson. "But more studies will be necessary to know whether it is actually associated with disease pathology."

When the EBV and KSHV viruses infect various cells types, they become latent and are not so harmful. This is unlike the infection of neurons, in which they drove the cells to their end.

These findings could help scientists create a novel model in order to study viral life cycles as well as become useful in the study of disease etiology.