Alexandria, VA, USA – A study testing the hypothesis that periodontitis-induced microbial dysbiosis contributes to Alzheimer’s disease (AD) progression by promoting microbial translocation and reshaping brain microbial communities. was presented at the 104th General Session of the IADR, which was held in conjunction with the 55th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research and the 50th Annual Meeting of the Canadian Association for Dental Research on March 25-28, 2026 in San Diego, CA, USA.
In the study, investigators tested the hypothesis that periodontitis-induced microbial dysbiosis contributes to Alzheimer’s disease (AD) progression by promoting microbial translocation and reshaping brain microbial communities.
They found that periodontitis enhances periodontal destruction and alters brain microbial profiles in an age- and genotype-dependent manner in an AD mouse model, supporting a mechanistic link between oral dysbiosis and AD-related pathways. Bacterial shifts were more pronounced in AD mice than in WT controls, with variations across transgenic strains, suggesting that periodontitis may act as a modifier of AD progression.
The abstract, “Experimental Periodontitis Alters Brain Microbial Diversity in Murine Alzheimer’s Models” was presented by Zeliha Güney of the ADA Forsyth Institute, Somerville, MA, USA during the “Periodontal Research-Pathogenesis Oral Session III- Inflammation and periodontal-systemic connections” Oral Session that took place on Saturday, March 28, 2026 at 2 p.m. PDT (UTC-7).
About IADR/AADOCR
The International Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research (IADR) is a nonprofit organization with a mission to drive dental, oral, and craniofacial research for health and well-being worldwide. IADR represents the individual scientists, clinician-scientists, dental professionals, and students based in academic, government, non-profit, and private-sector institutions who share our mission. The American Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research (AADOCR) is the largest division of IADR. Learn more at www.iadr.org.
