Center for the Biologic Basis of Oral/Systemic Diseases: Alzheimer's Disease: Effects of Oral Infection, Inflammation, and Disease

The Surgeon General has recently stressed the importance of oral health and its relationship to systemic health. This national report was based on the increasing evidence that oral health, specifically periodontal infection and disease, is associated "With the incidence of systemic pathologies such as cardiovascular disease and preterm birth. Increasing evidence supports a role for Gram negative bacteria and inflammation in the etiology of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Periodontal disease is characterized by its chronic nature, its Gram negative infection, its effects on systemic levels of inflammatory markers, and its ability to induce a transient but repetitive bacteremia. Oral Gram negative bacteria have been isolated from pathologies in the brain, blood vessels, pericardium, and fetal membranes supporting the systemic impact of periodontal disease. This study will be the first to explore if there is a relationship between chronic exposure to periodontal disease and AD. This pilot study "ill examine 50 subjects, 25 with AD and 25 healthy age, race and sex matched controls. Clinical, microbiologic and immunologic analysis will be performed on each subject using a stratified clinical examination to obtain as much data as allowed by the patient, a microbial plaque sample from the oral cavity to determine exposure to Gram negative infection, and an analysis of previously stored serum for inflammatory markers. These data will be analyzed by Dr. Kryscio to determine differences between the groups and power for an expanded proposal for an NIH (K 23) and Alzheimer's Foundation award.