Periodontitis and Alzheimer's disease

• Applicant: Dr. Lisa Hierse
• Subject Area: Dentistry, Oral Surgery
• Term: from 2013 to 2015
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 241258140

Periodontitis is a highly prevalent chronic inflammatory condition of the tooth supporting tissues caused by specific pathogens in a susceptible host. In the oral cavity, untreated periodontitis results in inflammatory resorption of connective tissue and bone, ultimately leading to tooth loss. In addition to its local role, periodontitis has also been associated with a number of systemic diseases or conditions, including atherosclerosis or diabetes mellitus.Morbus Alzheimer is the most common neurodegenerative disorder. Its neuropathological hallmark is neuroinflammation, inducing the release of neurotoxic substances and amyloid plaques, which accumulated lead to neurodegeneration and cognitive decline.Association studies show a relationship between periodontal infection and neurodegenerative disorders. However, the knowledge about the causal relationship is still very limited.Therefore, herein we propose to evaluate the postulated causal relationship of periodontal infection and Morbus Alzheimer in an in-vitro and in-vivo setting and to elucidate biologically plausible molecular and cellular mechanisms connecting both diseases.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• Participating Persons: Dr. Dan Ehninger; Privatdozent Dr. Moritz Kebschull