Nose-Picking Habit May Introduce Germs, Triggering Alzheimer's Disease: Study | Weather.com

Health

By IANS

3 days ago

TWC India

While scientists cannot accurately pinpoint what causes Alzheimer’s disease, in the brains of patients, they have observed a buildup of a protein called tau, which is associated with the body’s immune response.

But recent studies have pointed out the role of neuroinflammation, at least partially in its pathogenesis.

In the new study, researchers at the Western Sydney University in Australia "hypothesised that neuroinflammation in Alzheimer’s may be partially caused by viral, bacterial and fungal pathogens entering the brain via the nose and the olfactory system".

Chronic nose-picking, medically known as rhinotillexomania, introduces germs into the sensitive nasal cavity that cause inflammation in the brain, which has been linked to the onset of Alzheimer’s disease.

The researchers said that such infections can exist seemingly without symptoms but may cause inflammation and leave behind harmful plaques of protein that contribute to the development of neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s.

"One of the lessons learned from COVID-19 is the value of hand hygiene through frequent hand washing and the use of hand sanitisers, and we suggest these routine hygienic procedures be mandatory routine procedures for the incurable nose-picker," the researchers wrote in the paper.

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The above article has been published from a wire agency with minimal modifications to the headline and text.