*New research has raised concerns about nose picking and its potential link to Alzheimer’s disease.
A recent letter in the American Journal of the Medical Sciences suggests that this habit might be a risk factor for developing the condition, the UK Independent reports. Scientists propose that germs transferred from fingers to the nose could travel to the brain, causing inflammation that might damage brain cells over time.
Additionally, nose picking could harm the nasal lining, allowing harmful microorganisms to enter the bloodstream and further increase dementia risk.
The letter references multiple studies, including a 2022 NIH-funded study, indicating a connection between nose-picking and Alzheimer’s.
“Several pathogens that invade the brain via the nasal epithelium have been linked to Alzheimer’s disease and were isolated during post-mortem analysis,” the letter states.
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“These studies indicate that nose picking is a significant risk factor and contributes to the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. We recommend further research, particularly larger case-control studies, to explore this association more thoroughly.”
Researchers recommend more extensive studies to explore this link and advocate for good hand hygiene as a preventive measure.
“One lesson from Covid is the importance of hand hygiene,” the researchers wrote, advocating for routine practices like hand washing and the use of hand sanitizers to mitigate risks from nose picking.
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