Nose picking is considered a juvenile habit that should be left behind in childhood, but surveys show over 90 per cent of people continue the habit throughout their lifetime.

While seen as embarrassing, many think the habit is harmless but now research suggests it could have long term, damaging affects to our health and even lead to debilitating illnesses.

Research led by Griffith University scientists found that Chlamydia Pneumoniae, a bacteria often responsible for pneumonia in humans, can travel through the nasal cavity to the brain in mice.

Griffith University neurologist, James St Jon, said the results are concerning as the same bacteria has been found in the majority of human brains affected by late-onset dementia.

“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,” he said.

“We saw this happen in a mouse model, and the evidence is potentially scary for humans as well.”

The research team was also surprised by how quickly C. Pneumoniae took hold in the mouse nervous system, with infection occurring within 24 to 72 hours.

It may be possible that bacteria and viruses see the nose as a quick route to the brain. The team also observed that damage to the nasal epithelium (the thin tissue along the roof of the nasal cavity), made the nerve infections worse.

The team observed that the mouse brains deposited more of the amyloid-beta protein – a protein that the brain releases to fight infection.

This observation is significant for humans as the clumps (or plaque) of this protein are found in significant levels in Alzheimer’s patients.

While mice are genetically very similar to humans, it is still uncertain if the effects will be the same, or if amyloid-beta protein plaques cause Alzheimer’s.

That is why St John says more research is needed to fight the common brain disease.

“We need to do this study in humans and confirm whether the same pathway operates in the same way,” he said.

“It’s research that has been proposed by many people, but not yet completed. What we do know is that these same bacteria are present in humans, but we haven’t worked out how they get there.”

Nonetheless, it is an interesting finding that may point the way forward in treating Alzheimer’s.

In the meantime, there may be new hope on the horizon for people suffering from Alzheimer’s disease after a revolutionary new drug recently emerged in the battle against this heartbreaking condition.

Some experts have said the discovery of donanemab, by Eli Lilly, could be a “turning point” after a successful clinical trial found that the drug could slow Alzheimer’s progression.

In the global trial, which involved 1,700 Alzheimer’s patients aged between 60 and 85, scientists found that those in the early stages of the disease who took donanemab had a 35 per cent lower risk of having their condition progress and up to 22 per cent for those who were already in the later stages of the disease.

Donanemab is a monoclonal antibody that has been specifically developed to target and eliminate amyloid plaque in the brain, which is believed to contribute to the development and progression of Alzheimer’s disease.

According to Eli Lilly’s findings, the amyloid plaque decreased by 84 per cent among participants who received donanemab after 18 months of treatment. While participants who were given a placebo experienced only a minimal 1 per cent decrease in amyloid plaque.

These results indicate that Alzheimer’s may soon become just as manageable as conditions like diabetes or asthma.