Picking your nose may raise the risk of dementia, a study suggests.
Damaging the inside of the nostrils creates a shortcut for bacteria to seep into the blood and travel directly to the brain.
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Researchers looked at what happens when the nerve that connects the nose to the brain is exposed to Chlamydia pneumoniae, a normally harmless bug that causes sinus issues.
The study — on mice — found detectable levels of the bacteria in the brain within 72 hours. Within a month, the rodents developed clumps of a protein plaque linked to Alzheimer’s.
Lead study author, Professor James St John, from Griffith University in Australia, said: “We’re the first to show that Chlamydia pneumoniae can go directly up the nose and into the brain where it can set off pathologies that look like Alzheimer’s disease.
“We saw this happen in a mouse model, and the evidence is potentially scary for humans as well.”
The causes of Alzheimer’s are still unknown, but obesity, a poor diet, loneliness and a lack of sleep are all among the many lifestyle factors tied to the disease.
The team at Griffith University exposed the rodents to Chlamydia pneumoniae through their olfactory canal.
This is the pathway between the brain and the nose – and the fastest way for an invader from the outside body to get into the central nervous system.
Highly deadly brain-eating amoeba, among other dangerous bacteria, also enter the body and cause harm through this pathway.
Mice were chosen for the research because their olfactory system functions and is structured similarly to that of humans.
Chlamydia pneumoniae is a common bacteria that causes pneumonia, sore throats, ear infections, sinusitis and other sinus-related issues when a person is infected.
When a person is picking their nose they remove some of those natural defenses. Mail Online
