
Could a Common Eye Bacteria Be Linked to Alzheimer’s? | Dr. Maya Koronyo-Hamaoui
From Brain Talk | Being Patient for Alzheimer's Patients and Caregivers by Being Patient
June 3, 2026 · 28 min
About this episode
Dr. Maya Koronyo-Hamaoui discusses the potential link between a common eye bacteria and Alzheimer's disease.
Bacteria found in the eye may offer new clues about inflammation, cognitive decline, and the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. Dr. Maya Koronyo-Hamaoui, a professor of neurosurgery, neurology and biomedical sciences at Cedars-Sinai Health Sciences University, has found that Chlamydia pneumoniae, a common respiratory bacterium, may be linked to Alzheimer’s disease-related changes in the brain and retina. Her work, focusing on Alzheimer’s disease, neuroinflammation and retinal imaging, seeks to improve how neurodegenerative diseases are detected, monitored, and treated. During this conversation with Being Patient’s Mark Niu, Koronyo-Hamaoui explained how her team found evidence of Chlamydia pneumoniae in eye and brain tissue, with higher bacterial burden associated with more severe Alzheimer’s disease. She also discussed how the retina may serve as a noninvasive window into brain health, why chronic inflammation may play a role in disease progression, and why future research is needed to understand whether infection may contribute to Alzheimer’s risk in some people.---If you loved listening to this Live Talk, visit our website to find more of our Alzheimer’s coverage and…
People in this episode
Host: Mark Niu
Guest: Dr. Maya Koronyo-Hamaoui
Topics covered
- Alzheimer's disease
- neuroinflammation
- retinal imaging
- cognitive decline
- bacterial infection
- brain health
Keywords
- Alzheimer's
- Chlamydia pneumoniae
- neuroinflammation
- retina
- cognitive decline
- brain health
- bacteria
- disease progression
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Cedars-Sinai Health Sciences University, Being Patient
Products: Chlamydia pneumoniae
More episodes of Brain Talk | Being Patient for Alzheimer's Patients and Caregivers
- How Brain Banks Help Scientists Understand Dementia | Dr. Melissa Murray · May 27, 2026 · 32 min
- What Drives Women’s Higher Alzheimer’s Risk? | Dr. Jessica Caldwell · May 20, 2026 · 27 min
- Juli Chenault on Recognizing the Early Signs of Dementia | Juli Chenault · May 13, 2026 · 22 min
- From Clinical Trials to AI Music: How Bob Ehlers Is Redefining Life With Alzheimer's | Bob Ehlers · May 1, 2026 · 29 min
- Leveraging Technology as Your Memory Shifts | Angela Cearns · April 29, 2026 · 42 min
- Ask Teepa Anything: Care Homes, Apathy, Sleep Changes, and Other Care Questions | Teepa Snow · April 22, 2026 · 1h 1m
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Brain Talk | Being Patient for Alzheimer's Patients and Caregivers podcast page.