Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41890452›Full record

ReviewCureus2026

Association of Periodontal Pathogens and Their Inflammatory Mediators With Alzheimer's Disease Neurodegeneration: A Systematic Review.

Patrícia Arriaga, Kátia Vianna, Caroline Montez, Beatriz Panariello, Steve Tran, Diogo Rodrigues, Eliane Porto Barboza

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Cureus, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Patrícia ArriagaHospital Dentistry, Multidisciplinary Center for Hospital and Intensive Dentistry, Rio de Janeiro, BRA.
Kátia ViannaTemporomandibular Disorders and Orofacial Pain, Hospital da Boca - General Hospital, Santa Casa da Misericórdia, Rio de Janeiro, BRA.
Caroline MontezSchool of Dentistry, Augusto Motta University Centre (UNISUAM), Rio de Janeiro, BRA.
Beatriz PanarielloSchool of Dental Medicine, Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, Bradenton, USA.
Steve TranSchool of Dental Medicine, Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, Bradenton, USA.
Diogo RodriguesPeriodontics, National Institute of Dental Sciences (INCO 25), Niterói, BRA.
Eliane Porto BarbozaSchool of Dental Medicine, Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, Bradenton, USA.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Periodontitis is implicated in a range of systemic conditions, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and respiratory disorders. Emerging evidence suggests a link between periodontal infection, inflammation, and the neurodegenerative process of Alzheimer's disease (AD). This paper aimed to systematically review observational studies examining the association of periodontal pathogens and their inflammatory products with AD neurodegeneration. The review was registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO - No. CRD42020150043). Methods followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. An electronic search (PubMed/Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online (MEDLINE), Web of Science, Scopus, Cochrane Library, grey literature) was conducted until September 2025 with no language or date restrictions. Two independent reviewers screened and extracted data. The risk of bias was assessed via the Risk Of Bias In Non-randomized Studies - of Exposures (ROBINS‑E) tool. Of 1,421 identified citations, eight studies met the inclusion criteria. Participant numbers ranged from 349 to 2,191, and ages ranged from 40 to 90 years old. Meta‑analysis was not feasible due to methodological heterogeneity. Risk of bias was moderate in five studies and serious in three. Findings indicated that higher serum IgG antibodies to periodontal pathogens and elevated inflammatory mediators, notably tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF‑α), correlated with greater cognitive decline and markers of AD neurodegeneration, including MRI outcomes and APOE ε4 status. In conclusion, the current body of evidence suggests a potential association between periodontitis‑related inflammatory mediators, particularly TNF‑α, and elevated antibody responses to periodontal pathogens with AD progression. However, causality remains unestablished. Future prospective cohort and interventional studies are warranted to clarify the role of periodontal infection and inflammation in AD and to guide clinical strategies that may improve outcomes in AD populations.

Indexed as

alzheimer’s diseasedementianeurodegenerationperiodontal pathogensperiodontitis

Identifiers

PMID41890452
PMCPMC13016431

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.