Studies Odor test for quick and easy early diagnosis of dementia

Doctors use olfaction to diagnose dementia disorders
Is there an easy way to diagnose dementia? Apparently, it is possible by a so-called smell test to diagnose the disease early. Researchers found that the sense of smell worsens significantly in early stage dementia.

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania found in an investigation that a simple test of the sense of smell can detect dementia early. The doctors published a press release with the results of their study.

A decline in the sense of smell can be a sign of the development of dementia. Researchers now use an odor test to detect early cognitive impairment, which is a first sign of dementia. (Photo: Halfpoint / fotolia.com)

Test helps in the early detection of mild cognitive impairment
The American experts suspect that the reason for the deteriorated smelling is the build-up of toxic lumps in the brain. The identification of odors could thus be used in the future for the early diagnosis of dementia. The simple test takes only about five minutes. With the help of this new method could be found slight cognitive impairments, which are considered signs of dementia, explain the doctors.

Examination included almost 730 subjects
For their study, the physicians of the University of Pennsylvania examined 728 elderly. The subjects had to identify 16 different odors during an odor test. The test was developed in Germany and is available online. In addition, a standard cognitive test was used to investigate the functioning of the brain.

Combination of odor and cognitive tests allows accurate diagnosis
Then the participants were divided into one of three neurological categories. These included the groups: Healthy Older Adult, Person with mild cognitive impairment, and Person with Alzheimer's Disease. The cognitive test was only effective in the diagnosis of 75 percent of people, the researchers say. However, this value increased to 87 percent when the results of the odor test were included. This finding could become particularly important in the future because the number of dementias will increase dramatically.

Dementia Identifiable years before emergence?
The ability to use the decline of the sense of smell as a means of early identification of dementia is extremely interesting. As a result, the disease could be identified years before it develops, says study author David Roalf. The results suggest that a simple odor identification test can be a useful adjunct tool for the clinical categorization of mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's, adds the expert.

Bad results in odor tests indicate Alzheimer's disease
Already last year, researchers from the acclaimed Mayo Clinic noted that poor results in older people's odor tests are often signs of memory loss over the next three and a half years. Older people with a bad sense of smell had the highest risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.

Medical experts warn: Bad sense of smell is not always related to dementia
However, there are many different reasons for a worsening of the sense of smell in later life, warn the experts. The condition does not necessarily have to be an indicator of the development of dementia. For example, smoking and exposure to harmful airborne particles may lead to a deterioration in the sense of smell. Age also causes the nose to generally produce less mucus. This mucus helps to keep the odors in the nose for a long time. There, the smells are then recognized by the nerve endings and a message is transmitted to the brain, say the authors. (As)