Alzheimer’s is the most common cause of dementia in the UK, according to the NHS, yet its exact origins remain a mystery. While age, genetics, untreated depression, and cardiovascular-related conditions are known risk factors, emerging research suggests a surprising culprit: infection.
Recent studies point to a potential connection between Alzheimer’s and gum disease. In 2019, researchers led by Jan Potempa, a microbiologist at the University of Louisville, discovered Porphyromonas gingivalis—the bacteria behind chronic periodontitis—in the brains of deceased Alzheimer’s patients. This pathogen, often linked to poor oral health, could play a more serious role than previously thought.
Animal studies have reinforced the findings. Experiments by Cortexyme, Inc. showed that mice infected with P. gingivalis produced more beta-amyloid, the sticky protein that forms plaques in Alzheimer’s brains. The bacteria’s toxic enzymes, called gingipains, were also linked to tau and ubiquitin—proteins already associated with neurodegeneration.
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