AUTHOR=Wang Qing , Zhen Wenyu , Hu Rui , Wang Zifei , Sun Yuqiang , Sun Wansu , Huang Chunxia , Xu Jianguang , Zhang Hengguo 

TITLE=Occlusion dysfunction and Alzheimer’s disease: Mendelian randomization study

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience

VOLUME=16

YEAR=2024

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/aging-neuroscience/articles/10.3389/fnagi.2024.1423322

DOI=10.3389/fnagi.2024.1423322

ISSN=1663-4365

ABSTRACT=<sec><title>Aim</title><p>Occlusion dysfunction (OD) is increasingly linked to Alzheimer’s disease (AD). This study aimed to elucidate the causal relationship between OD and AD using Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis.</p></sec><sec><title>Materials and methods</title><p>Genome-wide association study (GWAS) meta-analysis data obtained from FinnGen, IEU Open GWAS, and UK Biobank (UKBB) was represented as instrumental variables. We validated the causal relationship between periodontal disease (PD), loose teeth (PD &amp; occlusion dysfunction), dentures restoration (occlusion recovery), and AD.</p></sec><sec><title>Results</title><p>According to the MR analysis, PD and AD have no direct causal relationship (P = 0.395, IVW). However, loose teeth significantly increased the risk of AD progression (P = 0.017, IVW, OR = 187.3567, 95%CI = 2.54E+00−1.38E+04). These findings were further supported by the negative causal relationship between dentures restoration and AD (P = 0.015, IVW, OR = 0.0234, 95%CI = 1.13E-03−0.485).</p></sec><sec><title>Conclusion</title><p>The occlusion dysfunction can ultimately induce Alzheimer’s disease. Occlusion function was a potentially protective factor for maintaining neurological health.</p></sec>