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* Now, a study from Australia has found that one bacterium, Chlamydia pneumoniae, enters the brain via the olfactory nerve from the nose leading to the development of amyloid beta plaques which are characteristic of Alzheimer's.

* The authors suggest that nose-picking damages the nasal mucosa, making it easier for the bacteria to reach the olfactory nerve and enter the brain.

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The olfactory nerve leads directly from the nasal cavity to the brain. Bacteria that enter the olfactory nerve can, therefore, bypass the blood-brain barrierTrusted Source that usually stops them from reaching the brain.

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Cells in the brain responded to the invasion by C. pneumoniae by depositing amyloid beta protein. Amyloid beta protein builds up into plaques which are a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease.

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Prof. St John believes it is not only C. pneumoniae that may trigger Alzheimer's:

"We think there are potentially many microorganisms that may contribute to the onset of AD. For example, herpes simplex virus is implicated in several studies. And it may be that it requires [a] combination of microbes and genetics. We all have bacteria/viruses in our brains, but we don't all get AD, so it might be a combination of microbes and genetics that lead to pathologies and symptoms."

"We also think that it might be a long slow process. So we don't think that getting the bacteria in the brain means that you will get dementia next week. Instead, we think the bacteria set off a slow progression of pathologies that may take decades before resulting in symptoms," he added.

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