In a groundbreaking 2022 study, Griffith University scientists found a potential link between the seemingly harmless habit of nose-picking and an increased risk of developing dementia. While the research was conducted on mice, the results indicated that when internal tissues were damaged, critical bacteria could enter the brain and trigger pathologies similar to Alzheimer’s disease. The bacteria in question, called Chlamydia pneumoniae, have been found in the majority of human brains affected by late-onset dementia. In mice, the bacteria traveled up the olfactory nerve and caused amyloid-beta protein deposition in the brain, similar to Alzheimer’s. Although the effects may not be the same in humans, this discovery is undoubtedly worth investigating further. The study suggests that bacteria and viruses may see the nose as a quick route to the brain, and we should be cautious about causing damage to the nose’s protective tissues. With each new piece of research, we get one step closer to finding a way to halt Alzheimer’s progression, which is a complex and devastating disease.
