Study finds cavity-causing bacteria may damage brain cells and contribute to Parkinson’s disease

A recent South Korean study suggests that a common oral bacterium responsible for tooth decay, Streptococcus mutans, may play a role in damaging brain cells and contributing to the development of Parkinson’s disease.

Researchers from POSTECH, in collaboration with the School of Medicine at Sungkyunkwan University, found that this bacterium can colonize the gut and produce compounds that enter the bloodstream. These substances can then reach the brain, where they harm neurons responsible for motor control. The findings were published in the scientific journal Nature Communications.

Experiments conducted on mice showed that introducing this bacterium into the gut led to increased levels of “imidazole propionate (ImP)” in the blood and brain tissue, a compound associated with the loss of dopamine-producing neurons.

The researchers also observed key features of Parkinson’s disease in the mice, including brain inflammation, damage to dopaminergic neurons, motor impairments, and the accumulation of the protein “alpha-synuclein,” which is closely linked to the progression of the disease.

The study highlights the critical role of oral and gut health in protecting brain function and suggests that targeting oral microbes could open new therapeutic pathways for preventing or treating Parkinson’s disease.