Previous research has shown a link between Alzheimer’s disease and a diminished sense of smell. A new study from Stockholm University has found that people who lose their sense of smell in middle or older age are at risk of early death. The researchers followed 1,774 people aged 40-90 for 10 years. At the beginning of the study, they were asked to identify 13 different odors. It was found that the person’s chance of death was linked to how well they scored on the test. Each wrong answer increased their risk of early death by 8%.
An earlier study by Harvard University found that people with Alzheimer’s disease had difficulty identifying 10 common smells, including lemon, mint, and strawberry. It is believed that the sticky plaques that clog up the brain cells in Alzheimer’s may also damage the olfactory (smell) nerves in the brain. People who lose their sense of smell temporarily should not panic as it can be a result of a cold, flu, or sinusitis.
If your loss of sense of smell is becoming permanent, this can be quite serious and needs to be evaluated right away. When it comes to Alzheimer’s disease, time is definitely not on your side. There are things that can be done, but they need to be initiated sooner rather than later.
