Fungi in the Brain: Link to Alzheimer's and Parkinson's?

Scientists are exploring a new angle in the mystery of brain diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. These diseases often show up late in life and cause problems with how your brain works. Both diseases have something in common: they cause your brain to get inflamed. So far, some studies have hinted that bacteria and viruses might play a role in these diseases. But what about fungi? Not many studies have looked into this. In one study, scientists used a special method called nanopore-based sequencing to check for fungi in brain tissue and fluid from people with these diseases.

Guess what they found? Traces of fungi DNA were spotted in the brains of two people with Alzheimer's and one person who didn't have the disease but had something called amyloid angiopathy. This is interesting because it opens up a new way to understand if fungal infections might be linked to brain diseases.

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