Abstract
Background Oral infections are prevalent in the adult population. Their impact includes the implication as a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD), altering its progression. One of the potential mechanisms involves immune mediators such as circulating cytokines. Objective The goal of the present study was to investigate the prevalence of oral infections and blood levels of IL-1β, TNF-α, and IL-6 in patients with AD, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and controls. Methods Sixty-five elderly were evaluated (25 AD, 19 MCI, and 21 controls) by the following methods: Mini Mental State Exam, Questionnaire of Functional Activities, periodontal and oral evaluation, and blood concentrations of IL-1β, TNF-α and IL-6. Results Patients with AD had high serum IL-6 levels (p = 0.029), and patients with periodontitis had high serum TNF-α levels (p = 0.005). There was an association between IL-6 and TNF-α in patients with AD/MCI and periodontitis (p = 0.023). Conclusion The increased levels of TNF-α and IL-6 in this study suggests their implication in the overlapping mechanisms between oral infections and AD. Longitudinal studies are necessary for further investigation.
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