Smell Loss: An Early Warning of Alzheimer's disease

Smell Loss: An Early Warning of Alzheimer's disease

For years I worked in Alzheimer's research and saw firsthand the effects this disease has on those that have it as well as their families. It is akin to a long slow goodbye and very taxing on caregivers. Spouses of those with Alzheimer's are vulnerable to exhaustion and depression. It was some of the hardest work I ever did and my heart goes out to those struggling with it.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia and though estimates vary, it is thought to affect between 2 and 5 million people in America.

Its incidence increases with age jumping from around 2% of the population for those aged 65-74 to nearly 20% between the ages of 75 and 84. For those over 85 the frequency grows to 42%.

Alzheimer's is a progressive disease that affects memory, thinking and behavior resulting in extreme disability and eventually death. The cause of AD is thought to be an abnormal build-up of plaques and tangles in the brain. Normally, the brain "sweeps" them away, but in AD the mechanism that does this seems to be "broken."

These plaques interfere with all thought processes, including taste and smell. Because Alzheimer's is progressive, smell and taste loss will also be progressive, but there are indications that it begins early in the disease.

Recent research has found that smell loss may be a very early indicator of Alzheimer's disease (AD). In fact, scientists have developed a specific smell test for those with AD based upon certain smell loss that seems to be lost in the early phases of this disease. The smell test includes these ten smells: menthol, cloves, leather, soap, natural gas, lemon, pineapple, smoke, lilac and strawberry.

Currently there are no accurate tests for AD which makes accurate diagnosis a sometimes frustrating experience because it can only be diagnosed after all other possible causes of the memory loss have been ruled out.

Many people incorrectly believe that genetic testing can tell them if they will develop AD. Unfortunately, there is only one type of AD (early onset) for which testing provides any useful information. Early onset AD is much rarer than later onset AD - affecting far fewer people.

For most people, genetic testing can only tell you the probability that you may get late onset AD. Genetics interact with environment in complex ways that are not well fully understood. Be aware that even those who are considered at high risk for AD (because of their genetics) may never actually develop AD. Although your genetics may put you at risk for AD, it isn't a certainty. Scientists do not know exactly which factors in the environment increase the likelihood that anyone with a genetic vulnerability will actually develop the disease.

If you are concerned that your smell or taste loss may be caused by this disease, be sure that your doctor is aware of this new research. Ask for a referral to a specialist that can further evaluate your smell loss.

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