Periodontitis induced by bacterial infection exacerbates features of Alzheimer’s disease in transgenic mice

Abstract

Periodontal disease is a risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease Alzheimer’s disease is a scourge of longevity that will drain enormous resources from health budgets in the future. Unfortunately, the pathogenesis of the disease remains an enigma and there is no adequate treatment or prophylaxis for the disease. One key priority is to examine the modifiable risk factors that influence the development of dementia. A risk factor relationship between periodontal pathogens/periodontal disease and AD exists. In Alzheimer’s model mice infected with Porphromonas gingivalis, a type of periodontopathic bacterium, cognitive function was reduced and deposition of amyloid β peptide was increased. Moreover, inflammatory cytokines and bacterial endotoxin were increased in the serum and brain. Neuroinflammation may be caused by an increase in these inflammatory mediators, and the pathology of Alzheimer’s disease may be exacerbated. Since periodontal infections are treatable, treatment of periodontal diseases during this period may be effective for delaying the onset or progression of AD.