In recent years, more and more scientific research supports surprising hypotheses. Alzheimer’s disease is not just a disease, it is an infectious disease.
This exact mechanism of infection is something researchers are still trying to separate, but many studies suggest that the fatal spread of Alzheimer’s disease is far beyond what we thought. Masu.
One such study, published in 2019, suggests that it could be one of the most definitive leads to date for the bacterial perpetrators behind Alzheimer’s disease. It comes from a somewhat unexpected quarterly gum disease.
In a paper led by senior author Jan Potempa, a microbiologist at the University of Louisville, the researchers reported their findings Porphyromonas Gingivalis – Pathogens behind Chronic Periodontitis (also known as gingival disease) – In the brain of a deceased Alzheimer’s disease patient.
P. gingivalis’s (Red) Between neurons in the brain of patients with Alzheimer’s disease. (cortex)
It wasn’t the first time Two factors are linkedHowever, researchers went even further.
In separate experiments with mice, oral infections with pathogens led to bacterial brain colonization along with the production of amyloid beta (Aβ), a sticky protein commonly associated with Alzheimer’s disease.
The research team, co-founded by the Pharma Startup cortex, co-founded by first author Stephen Dominy, did not claim to have found conclusive evidence of causality in Alzheimer’s disease.
But it was clear that they thought we had a strong line of research here.
“Infectious agents previously were associated with the onset and progression of Alzheimer’s disease, but the evidence of causality was not convincing.” Dominy said at the time.
“For the first time now, there is solid evidence to connect gram-negative pathogens within cells. P. gingivalisand the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease. ”
Additionally, the team has identified a toxic enzyme called dentatosugar, which is secreted by bacteria in the brain of Alzheimer’s patients. This correlated with separate markers of two diseases: tau protein and protein tag, called ubiquitin.
But even more convincingly, the team has identified these toxic teeth in the brains of deceased people who have never been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.
That’s important P. gingivalis And although this disease has been linked previously, simply put it, it was never known – whether Gum disease causes Alzheimer’s disease, or dementia leads to poor oral care Is that so?
The fact that low levels of gums have been revealed even in people who have never been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease can be a smoking gun.
“The identification of Gingipain antigens in the brain of AD and AD pathology brains claims that there is no diagnosis of dementia. P. gingivalis It is an early event that explains the pathology seen in middle-aged individuals before cognitive decline, not due to inadequate dental treatment following the outcome of late-stage outcomes after the onset of dementia.” explained. In their paper.
Furthermore, compounds formulated by a company called Cor388 have shown in mice experiments that they can reduce the load of established bacteria P. gingivalis Brain infection, as well as amyloid beta production and neuroinflammation, are also reduced.
We need to wait for future research to be revealed about this link, but the research community is cautiously optimistic.
“Drugs targeting bacterial toxic proteins have previously shown benefits in mice, but with no new dementia treatments for over 15 years, we must test as many approaches as possible for diseases like Alzheimer’s disease. is important,” the study commented. statement.
The survey results were reported in Advances in science.
An earlier version of this story was released in January 2019.
