4 ms·

Didn't they discover that periodontitis causes Alzheimer: https://advances.sciencemag.org/content/5/1/eaau3333 https://advances.sciencemag.org/content/5/1/eaau3

Didn't they discover that periodontitis causes Alzheimer: https://advances.sciencemag.org/content/5/1/eaau3333 https://advances.sciencemag.org/content/5/1/eaau3333 Perhaps any infection that reaches the brain can cause Alzheimer and amyloid-beta plaques are there to fight the infection

igravious 6y ago
Came here to say this. Didn't that connection sweep through here a while back? I just checked. Turns out the herpes connection has been made before too: (1) Alzheimer's risk 10 times lower with herpes medication (2 years ago) https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=17540094 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=17540094 (2) Some studies show an association between the herpes virus and Alzheimer’s (2 years ago) https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=18265115 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=18265115 (3) Researchers Find Herpes Viruses in Brains Marked by Alzheimer's Disease (2 years ago) https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=17366591 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=17366591 (4) Link Between Alzheimer’s and Herpes (2 years ago) https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=17521994 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=17521994
- Swannie 6y ago
  From my skimming of the OP, which references some of this research, I think these prior findings demonstrated strong correlation, but this is the first study that demonstrates some causal relationship.
  - igravious 6y ago
    Sweet, thanks – haven't had time to even skim yet!
igravious 6y ago
(1) Gum bacteria implicated in Alzheimer's and other diseases (1 year ago) https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=19606025 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=19606025 (2) Gum disease–causing bacteria could spur Alzheimer’s (1 year ago) https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=18987015 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=18987015
est31 6y ago
Some people propose that Alzheimer is in fact a symptom caused by a multitude of different diseases. Similar to how cancer has multiple types and causes.
ncmncm 6y ago
Medical people mostly find the correlation unpersuasive, mostly because poor dental hygiene correlates strongly with all kinds of illnesses that break down ability to self-maintain. I.e, it is just as likely that Alzheimer's causes periodontal complications. That said, those bacteria do find their way to parts of the body that are protected against the immune system, and the brain would be an excellent host site.

igravious 6y ago

Came here to say this. Didn't that connection sweep through here a while back? I just checked. Turns out the herpes connection has been made before too: (1) Alzheimer's risk 10 times lower with herpes medication (2 years ago) https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=17540094 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=17540094 (2) Some studies show an association between the herpes virus and Alzheimer’s (2 years ago) https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=18265115 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=18265115 (3) Researchers Find Herpes Viruses in Brains Marked by Alzheimer's Disease (2 years ago) https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=17366591 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=17366591 (4) Link Between Alzheimer’s and Herpes (2 years ago) https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=17521994 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=17521994

Swannie 6y ago
From my skimming of the OP, which references some of this research, I think these prior findings demonstrated strong correlation, but this is the first study that demonstrates some causal relationship.
- igravious 6y ago
  Sweet, thanks – haven't had time to even skim yet!

igravious 6y ago

(1) Gum bacteria implicated in Alzheimer's and other diseases (1 year ago) https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=19606025 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=19606025 (2) Gum disease–causing bacteria could spur Alzheimer’s (1 year ago) https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=18987015 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=18987015

est31 6y ago

Some people propose that Alzheimer is in fact a symptom caused by a multitude of different diseases. Similar to how cancer has multiple types and causes.

ncmncm 6y ago

Medical people mostly find the correlation unpersuasive, mostly because poor dental hygiene correlates strongly with all kinds of illnesses that break down ability to self-maintain. I.e, it is just as likely that Alzheimer's causes periodontal complications. That said, those bacteria do find their way to parts of the body that are protected against the immune system, and the brain would be an excellent host site.