Dentistry & Oral Health

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative condition that results in a long-term devastating emotional/psychological impact on their loved ones. The neuropathological hallmarks of AD are the deposition of copious amounts of amyloid beta (Aβ) and hyperphosphorylated tau protein coated neurofi brillary tangles in the brain. For decades, the role of the innate immune system in the etiology of AD was considered less important but the recently discovered infl ammatory genes by Genome-Wide association studies driving infl ammation in this disease has changed this view. Innate immune infl ammatory activity in the AD brain can result from the pathological hallmark Aβ protein as well as from specifi c peripheral microbial infections including the sub-gingival bacterial biofi lms. Oral spirochetes and Porphyromonas gingivalis components such as lipopolysaccharide (LPS), peptidoglycan and genomic DNA have all been detected in the brains of AD following autopsy. The oral pathobionts elicit weak immunostimulatory activity as a consequence of their immune evasion strategies, which aid their survival in the host. The aim of this presentation is to, disseminate new knowledge in the ever expandingfield of dentistry with experimental evidence from human AD brains and from experimental models of periodontitis in the apolipoprotein E(APOE) gene knockout mice. Th e possible contribution, specifi cally of the oral pathobionts P. gingivalis playing a role in infl uencing the development, and progression of AD infl ammatory pathology will be highlighted.