Bacterial penetration of the brain through a damaged nose
A study has found that picking your nose, that is blowing your nose, can increase the risk of dementia. According to a research team at Griffith University in Australia, nose picking increases the risk of dementia because it damages the inside of the nostrils, allowing bacteria to enter the blood and travel directly to the brain. .
The research team carried out experiments on what happens when the nerves connecting the nose and the brain come into contact with Chlamydia pneumoniae in mice. Chlamydia pneumoniae is a common bacterium that causes pneumonia, sore throat, ear infections, sinusitis (sinusitis), and other sinus-related problems when people become infected. Chlamydia pneumoniae spreads through respiratory droplets and travels from host to host through the air.
The research team exposed the olfactory tube of mice to Chlamydia pneumoniae. This is the route that connects the brain and the nose and is the fastest way for foreign bacteria to enter the central nervous system. The highly lethal brain-eating amoeba also damages this pathway.
The olfactory system in mice functions and is structured similarly to humans. The body has mechanisms to prevent bacteria from entering the brain, such as nasal hair and mucus, which act as natural barriers. However, nose picking takes away some of our natural defenses.
As a result of the study, it was found that Chlamydia pneumoniae injected into the olfactory nerve of mice infects the brain within 72 hours. This means the bacteria can cross the blood-brain barrier, the body’s final immune defense to the central nervous system.
Infected mice also showed brain damage within 28 days. This brain damage can affect cognitive function with early onset Alzheimer’s. Amyloid beta plaques formed in the brain.
“It appears that the bacteria trigger the formation of toxins in the brain,” said the team. The plaque mass interferes with or blocks communication between nerve cells and other cellular functions.
“This study showed that Chlamydia pneumoniae can enter the nose and brain directly and cause a pathology that looks like Alzheimer’s disease,” said Professor James St. The nose should be dug or picked, as it can increase the number of hands.” The results of this study (Chlamydia pneumoniae can infect the central nervous system through the olfactory and trigeminal nerves and contributes to the risk of Alzheimer’s disease) were published in ‘ Scientific Reports’, an international scientific journal in the field of natural sciences.
