The Bulletín of Kanagawa Dental College
Vol. 37 No. 1       MARCH- 2009
ISSN: 0385-1443      UBIC: 65
ABSTRACT
Porphyromonas gingivalis, a gram-negative and black-pigmented anaerobe, has been etiologically associated with various types of periodontal diseases including adult periodontitis. Moreover, host factors are important in the onset and progression of this disease. We recently developed a rodent model in which alveolar bone loss was induced after oral infection of specific-pathogen-free rat with a human-derived strain of P. gingivalis in rats. In this review, we used this rat model to determine the influence of the restraint stress and the sympathetic nervous system on periodontitis. The presence of restraint stress significantly enhances the progression of P. gingivalis-challenged periodontitis in rats. And also, superior cervical ganglionectomy is an important accelerating factor in alveolar bone loss. Thus, we suggest that the sympathetic nervous system is linked with the prevention of alveolar bone loss. These results present new information on the occurrence of an increase in alveolar bone loss.
Key words: Stress / Periodontal disease / Immune responses / Sympathetic nervous system.

| Volver |