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Scientists discover link between oral health and one of the most complex nervous system diseases

Hiroshima University, Japan

Tokyo, December 29 (QNA) - A team of researchers from Hiroshima University in Japan has revealed a link between oral health and multiple sclerosis, one of the most complex nervous system diseases.

The researchers found that high levels of a certain oral bacterium are surprisingly associated with increased disability severity in multiple sclerosis patients. The study focused on a bacterium called Fusobacterium nucleatum, a common microbe in the oral cavity typically linked to chronic gum disease.

The team analyzed tongue coating samples from groups of patients suffering from chronic inflammatory demyelinating diseases of the central nervous system, including multiple sclerosis and two similar conditions: neuromyelitis optica and myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated disease.

Results showed that multiple sclerosis patients with high levels of this bacterium in their mouths had significantly higher disability scores on the standard Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS). Among these patients, 61.5% had moderate to severe disability, compared to only 18.6% of those with low bacterial levels. Importantly, this association was specific to multiple sclerosis.

The researchers suggested that this bacterium may act as a 'bridge bacterium,' not only playing its known role in forming bacterial communities in the mouth but also potentially serving as a vital link connecting chronic oral inflammation to neurological damage in the brain.

It is worth noting that multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune disease affecting the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord). The immune system attacks the protective myelin sheath of nerves, hindering nerve signal transmission and causing various symptoms such as vision problems, balance issues, muscle weakness, fatigue, as well as cognitive and memory difficulties. It affects women more than men, often begins in young adulthood, and is typically diagnosed via MRI.

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Hiroshima University, Japan

Nervous system diseases