Discussion
This study reveals the widespread presence of bacteria in areas of the brain associated with AD and PD pathology, with distinctly different bacterial profiles in blood and brain. Brain area profiles were overall somewhat similar, predominantly oral, with some bacteria subgingival and oronasal in origin, and relatively comparable profiles in AD and PD brain. However, brain areas associated with early disease development, such as the locus coeruleus, were substantially different in bacterial DNA content compared to areas affected later in disease etiology.
Methods
Here, we use high resolution 16S rRNA PCR-based Next Generation Sequencing (16SNGS) to characterize bacterial composition in brain areas associated with the early, intermediate and late-stage of the diseases.