November 3rd, 2022Perils of nose picking

New research suggests nose picking could increase risk for Alzheimer’s and dementia.
Griffith University researchers have demonstrated that a bacteria can travel through the olfactory nerve in
the nose and into the brain in mice, where it creates markers that are a tell-tale sign of Alzheimer’s disease.
The study, published in the journal Scientific Reports, showed that Chlamydia pneumoniae used the nerve
extending between the nasal cavity and the brain as an invasion path to invade the central nervous system.
The cells in the brain then responded by depositing amyloid beta protein which is a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease.
Professor James St John, Head of the Clem Jones Centre for Neurobiology and Stem Cell Research, is a
co-author of the world first research.
“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,” Professor St John said. “We saw this happen
in a mouse model, and the evidence is potentially scary for humans as well.”
The team at the Centre is already planning the next phase of research and aim to prove the same pathway exists in humans.
“We need to do this study in humans and confirm whether the same pathway operates in the same way.”

There are some simple steps to look after the lining of your nose that Professor St John suggests people
can take now if they want to lower their risk of potentially developing late-onset Alzheimer’s disease.
“Picking your nose and plucking the hairs from your nose are not a good idea”,” he said.