Alzheimer’s May Arise from Periodontal Disease – MonitorExpresso.com

World. – Alzheimer’s, a degenerative disease that affects the brain, progressively decreases the ability to retain memory and cognitive skills such as thinking, remembering and reasoning. This condition usually occurs in older adults and is suggested to stem from periodontal disease. Despite decades of studies, the National Institute on Aging (NIH) notes that the exact causes of Alzheimer’s are still not fully understood. However, advances have been made and theories have emerged that try to explain its origin. Environmental, lifestyle and genetic factors are considered when investigating this disease, the latter factor being particularly relevant in cases of early-onset Alzheimer’s. In recent years, intriguing similarities have been found between Alzheimer’s and chronic periodontitis, a gum disease caused by the pathogen Porphyomonas gingivalis. Dr David Reynolds, chief scientific officer of Alzheimer’s Research UK, comments: “P. gingivalis bacteria have previously been found in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients, but it is not yet clear what role, if any, it plays in the development of the disease.” Although similarities were identified in brain invasion caused by both diseases, more studies are required to confirm any causal relationship. In addition, elevated levels of amyloid, a protein characteristic of Alzheimer’s, were found.In a recent experiment, researchers infected a group of mice with P. gingivalis and administered a drug aimed at reducing the accumulation of amyloid. The results were promising, suggesting that this new drug could represent a significant advance in the treatment of Alzheimer’s. The scientists also found toxic enzymes, called gingipains, originating from bacteria that invade the brains of people with Alzheimer’s. These substances are related to proteins typical of the disease, such as Tau and ubiquitin. In addition, evidence of toxic gingipains has been found in the brains of deceased people who were not diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, raising questions about whether dementia leads to poor oral care or whether P. gingivalis infection could trigger Alzheimer’s.

Original source in Spanish