Gingival disease related to Alzheimer's risk

Representative image (courtesy of AFP Relaxnews)

Poor oral health can play a role in the onset of Alzheimer's disease, say researchers who have highlighted the link between bacteria present in a common type of gum disease and people with dementia.

The study, published in the journal Science Advances, identified Porphyromonas gingivalis – the key pathogen in chronic periodontitis – in the brains of patients with Alzheimer's disease.

Toxic proteases of the bacterium called gingipain have also been identified in the brains of patients with Alzheimer's disease, as well as rates correlated with the pathology of tau and ubiquitin.
<! –

->

The results provide hope for a new way to fight this disease, for which there is no cure or effective treatment, the BBC reported.
Tests on mice confirmed that bacteria could travel from the mouth to the brain and showed the toxic protein they secrete, called gingipain, which destroyed brain neurons.

The bacterium also increased the production of beta-amyloid, a component of amyloid plaques commonly badociated with Alzheimer's disease.

Following this, scientists Stephen Dominy of the founders of the pharmaceutical company Cortexyme, tested drugs in mice to block toxic proteins and found that they were able to stop brain degeneration.

The same bacterium was also found in 51 brain autopsies of patients with Alzheimer's disease.

The team has now developed a new drug that, he hopes, could form the basis of a humane treatment and plans to test it in people with Alzheimer's disease. Light to moderate intensity, as part of a clinical trial to be held later in 2019.

Catch the biggest news producers and news on CNN-News18, your favorite TV news channel in English. Keep watching CNN-News18 at only 50 Paise per month. Contact your cable / DTH operator now!
* Rental fee / capacity of Rs.130 / – as charged by the cable / DTH operator can apply. ** GST extra.