Nose picking by those 65-plus can increase bacteria into brain

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Who knew picking your nose in your later years could lead to an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia?

Scientists from Australia’s Griffith University say a new study shows that people aged 65 or older picking their nose can lead to bacteria travelling via the nasal cavity’s olfactory nerve and reaching the brain, reports the New York Post.

From there, specifically the Chlamydia pneumoniae bacteria — linked to respiratory infections including pneumonia — can create markers that are “a tell-tale sign of Alzheimer’s disease.”

The study, published in Scientific Reports, says that particular bacteria used the olfactory nerve as “an invasion path to assault the central nervous system,” and the brain’s cellular response is depositing amyloid beta protein, a hallmark of Alzheimer’s.

“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 James St. John, the study’s co-author, said in a statement.

St. John, the head of the Clem Jones Centre for Neurobiology and Stem Cell Research, says while the research was done on mice, “the evidence is potentially scary for humans as well.”

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He added that loss of smell can be an early sign of Alzheimer’s and suggests smell tests for those 60 and older.

“Once you get over 65 years old, your risk factor goes right up,” he said.

In order to protect yourself from nose pick-related neurological diseases, St. John advises to not pick your nose or pluck the hairs inside it.

“If you damage the lining of the nose, you can increase how many bacteria can go up into your brain,” he said.