Periodontal Disease Strongly Implicated in Alzheimer's

Periodontal disease may play a central role in the development of Alzheimer's disease (AD), new studies suggest.

A multinational team of researchers conducted out a series of experiments to examine the potential impact of Porphyromonas gingivalis, the major pathogen of chronic periodontitis, on AD development. They studied mouse models as well as examined the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and postmortem brain tissue of individuals with AD.

The presence of oral P gingivalis infection in mice resulted in brain infiltration by the bacteria that was accompanied by increased production of Aβ_1-42, a component of amyloid plaques implicated in AD.