University of Alabama Receives Grant to Investigate Link Between Alzheimer Disease and Periodontitis

The National Institute on Aging (NIA) is awarding Ping Zhang, DDS, PhD, a $1.85 million grant to investigate the association between Alzheimer disease and periodontitis. Zang is a professor of pediatric dentistry at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Dentistry. Results from Zhang’s previous research — funded by the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research and NIA — discovered that periodontal diseases hastened the cognitive and behavioral effects, neuroinflammation, and neurodegeneration among those with Alzheimer disease. The 5-year research project hopes to shed additional light on how this relationship works. Click here to read more.