According to a recent study, there is a link between the inability to perceive some smells and the risk of developing Alzheimer’s in the future.
Research has linked olfactory dysfunction to neurodegenerative diseases, highlighting how the failure to detect certain odors can be an early symptom of Alzheimer’s. Here’s what the study published in the scientific journal found out Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice.
The study that linked the perception of odors and Alzheimer’s
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia, a condition that causes memory loss and, more generally, impaired intellectual skills and cognitive function.
This neurodegenerative disease predominantly affects the presenile people. Identifying it promptly is essential: although to date there is no definitive cure, in fact, the effectiveness of the treatment depends on the speed of diagnosis which, if it is early, will contribute to the reduction of symptoms for as long a period of time as possible.
Among the red flags that could indicate dementia are:
- Difficulty concentrating
- Memory loss;
- Confusion related to space-time coordinates;
- Difficulty engaging in normal daily activities
- Sudden mood swings.
A team of scientists tried to understand if the inability to perceive certain odors could represent a marker that could indicate the risk of developing Alzheimer’s.
Researchers focused on olfactory dysfunction linked to the reduced or distorted ability to perceive the smell of food.
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Olfactory dysfunction and dementia: who is at risk
The study, in particular, focused on people already suffering from type 2 diabetes.
During the research, 151 elderly patients with this pathology were monitored for five years. The goal was to collect data on health and theirs olfactory functionality of the participants.
In this way, the experts would be able to verify whether, despite not being at risk of developing dementia, the inability to smell could indicate a predisposition to the onset of Alzheimer’s.
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Over the three years following initiation of monitoring, approximately 9% of the sample developed probable dementia.
By comparing the information recorded, the researchers realized that those with a higher risk of Alzheimer’s had the lowest scores on the scent tests they had undergone.