Chronic periodontitis induces microbiota-gut-brain axis disorders and cognitive impairment in mice

Epidemiological studies suggest that chronic periodontitis (CP) is closely associated with the incidence and progression of cognitive impairment. The present study investigated the causal relationship between CP and cognitive decline and the underlying mechanism in mice. Long-term ligature around the left second maxillary molar tooth was used to induce CP in mice. Severe alveolar bone loss and inflammatory changes were observed in gingival tissues, accompanied by progressive cognitive deficits during a 12-month period. We also observed cerebral neuronal and synaptic injury and glial activation in this mouse model of CP. Furthermore, CP mice exhibited significant dysbiosis of the oral and gut microbiota, disruption of the intestinal barrier and blood-brain barrier, increases in the serum contents of proinflammatory cytokines and lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and increases in brain LPS levels, Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) expression, nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) nuclear translocation and proinflammatory cytokine mRNA levels. These results indicate that CP may directly induce progressive cognitive decline and its mechanism is probably related to microbiota-gut-brain axis disorders, LPS/TLR4/NF-κB signaling activation and neuroinflammatory responses in mice. Therefore, the microbiota-gut-brain axis may provide the potential strategy for the prevention and treatment of CP-associated cognitive impairment. •Chronic periodontitis (CP) mice displayed progressive cognitive deficits.•Murine CP aggravated neuronal injury and neuroinflammation.•Murine CP caused the oral and gut microbiota dysbiosis.•Murine CP induced intestinal barrier damage and inflammation.•Murine CP injured blood-brain barrier and activated TLR4 pathway in the brain.