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For years, research has focused on causes of cerebral origin to explain the onset of Alzheimer’s disease. Genetics, aging, environmental factors… There are many hypotheses. But a recent discovery suggests another intriguing avenue: what if oral health played a major role? Could a pathogen present in the gums be involved in the development of this neurodegenerative disease?
A link between gum disease and Alzheimer’s?
A study has highlighted the presence of a specific bacterium in the brains of patients with Alzheimer’s disease: Porphyromonas gingivalis . This bacterium is known to cause periodontitis, a chronic infection of the gums.
Microbiologist Jan Potempa of the University of Louisville has discovered that this bacteria is not limited to the mouth: it can migrate to the brain . Experiments on mice have confirmed that P. gingivalis can colonize the brain after an oral infection, leading to an increase in the production of beta-amyloid, a protein implicated in Alzheimer’s disease .
