In a shocking turn of events, a recent study discovered a link between nose picking and neurological problems, resembling Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. 

Researchers from Griffith University demonstrated how a bacteria called Chlamydia pneumoniae may lead to serious brain problems. 

In a press release published by the university on Friday, the researchers indicated that the bacteria could travel directly from the olfactory nerve within the nose and into the brain. This may lead to amyloid beta protein deposits within the brain that induce Alzheimer’s pathologies. 

Because the nerve extends from the nasal cavity to the brain, the bacteria can invade the central nervous system through this path. The resulting protein deposit is a trademark of Alzheimer’s disease. 

“We’re the primary to indicate that Chlamydia pneumoniae can go directly up the nose into the brain where it may well set off pathologies that appear to be Alzheimer’s disease,” Professor James St. John said within the press release. 

He continued, “We saw this occur in a mouse model, and the evidence is potentially scary for humans as well.”

As a respiratory tract pathogen, the team said its link to late-onset dementia has turn out to be increasingly evident because of their study, first published within the journal Scientific Reports in February this yr. 

The goal of the researchers within the study was to research whether the bacteria could rapidly invade the central nervous system inside 3 to 7 days via the olfactory nerve in mice and result in amyloid beta protein deposits within the brain. 

“Chlamydia pneumoniae infects the olfactory mucosa, olfactory bulb and cerebral cortex inside 3 days after intranasal inoculation,” they wrote in the outcomes. 

To substantiate their findings, the team has been planning the subsequent phase of research that would prove the identical pathway exists in humans and may lead to the identical results. 

“We want to do that study in humans and ensure whether the identical pathway operates in the identical way. It’s research that has been proposed by many individuals, but not yet accomplished. What we do know is that these same bacteria are present in humans, but we haven’t worked out how they get there,” St. John added. 

Smell tests have been used as a possible tool to detect Alzheimer’s or dementia risk in humans since the lack of smell is claimed to be an indicator of those neurological problems. 

For now, St. John and his team strongly discourage picking the nose and plucking the hairs inside it. Any damage to the within the nose could increase the possibilities of the bacteria going up into the brain.