Sense of Smell May Predict Alzheimer's Risk

Principal investigator Dr. Mark Albers, of the Department of Neurology at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), and team found that by assessing the ability to recognize, recall, and distinguish different odors, they could accurately identify individuals who were at greater risk of Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer's is the most common form of dementia, with around 5.4 million adults in the United States living with the disease. By 2050, this number is expected to reach 13.8 million, unless new preventive and treatment strategies are found.

As with any illness, the earlier Alzheimer's is detected, the greater the chance of treatment success. However, at present, Alzheimer's can only be identified through a series of medical and cognitive assessments, and it can often take years to receive a clinical diagnosis.

According to Dr. Albers and colleagues, it is known that Alzheimer's disease can negatively impact the brain circuits that control sense of smell, or olfaction, and studies have suggested that such neurodegeneration can arise more than a decade before the onset of memory problems.

Read more from the article on Medical News Today: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/314134.php