The nose can predict memory loss.
A new study suggests that a person’s sense of smell could provide early clues about the onset of dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. Older adults who have developed mild cognitive impairment, often an early stage of these conditions, tend to score lower on a simple smell test compared to those with normal brain function, according to findings published on March 24 in the journal Scientific Reports.
The peel-and-sniff test, which can be conducted at home, could serve as an early warning for potential declines in cognitive function, researchers suggest. Dr. Mark Albers, a neurologist at Massachusetts General Hospital, stated that the goal is to develop a cost-effective, non-invasive test that could aid in detecting cognitive issues before memory loss becomes evident, potentially allowing for earlier intervention in Alzheimer’s treatment.
In the test, participants are asked to sniff various odors on a card and identify them from a list of four options. They are then questioned about their confidence in their choices. The study found that while the ability to identify and remember odors tends to decline with age, individuals with mild cognitive impairment scored lower on the test than their peers with healthy brain function.
The test was effective for both English and Spanish speakers and could be administered with or without the help of a research assistant. This suggests that olfactory testing could be a useful tool in predicting neurodegenerative diseases in clinical settings across different languages.
However, researchers emphasized the need for further studies to validate the test and determine how it might be integrated with other cognitive assessments for dementia and Alzheimer’s.
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