Exploring Oral Health’s Connection to Alzheimer’s Treatment
In a groundbreaking initiative that might reshape Alzheimer’s treatment, researchers are scrutinizing the potential link between oral health and the disease. A new clinical trial is underway to explore this intriguing connection.
Dr. Anna Burke, who heads the Alzheimer’s and Memory Disorders Program at Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix, is at the forefront of this research. The trial is evaluating an innovative oral medication that could potentially decelerate Alzheimer’s progression.
“There are bacteria in your mouth, something called P. gingivalis, that are very common and actually cause this inflammation in the oral cavity in the gums,” states Dr. Burke. These bacteria have the ability to access the bloodstream through everyday activities such as chewing or brushing teeth, eventually reaching the brain.
Once in the brain, P. gingivalis can compromise the blood-brain barrier, increasing susceptibility to infections and environmental damage. This process may “trigger immune responses in our brains. And with that, they can start the cascade that leads to damage to build up of things like amyloid and tau and further damage of these proteins inside our brain cells,” Burke elaborates.
The trial seeks participants diagnosed with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s who also test positive for the gingivitis-causing bacteria. It is part of a broader global effort to discover new treatment paradigms.
Dr. Burke envisions a future where Alzheimer’s treatment might resemble the multi-drug approaches used for other diseases, like HIV, potentially involving a combination of medications rather than relying on a single solution.
Coverage of aging is supported in part by AARP Arizona
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