GUM disease bacteria produce toxins, called gingipains, involved in Alzheimer’s disease, according to a recent study.
When brain samples from donated tissue were compared, the gum disease bacteria Porphyromonas gingivalis was more common in those from Alzheimer’s patients, shown by the presence of the gingipains they produce. A study on mice also showed the bacteria can move from the mouth to the brain, the American Association of Anatomists at the 2019 Experimental Biology meeting heard.
An experimental drug that blocks gingipains, COR388, is in clinical trials for Alzheimer’s. The study team said it underscored the importance of dental hygiene for those with genetic risk factors for dementia.
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