Self-Administered Smell Test May Detect Risk For Alzheimer’s

By Stephanie Feuer

Alzheimer's can begin 20 years or more before memory loss or others symptoms appear. Now, according to a newly published study in Scientific Reports, a self-administered smell test taken at home could help identify older adults who may be at risk for Alzheimer’s disease before those symptoms appear.

Researchers found that elders with mild cognitive impairment performed significantly worse on a smell identification and discrimination test than cognitively normal participants. Mild cognitive impairment is a stage that falls between normal aging and more serious conditions like dementia. People with this condition often notice some changes in memory or thinking, but are still able to manage their daily activities on their own. However, they’re at a higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease compared to those without these symptoms.

The study used the AROMHA Brain Health Test, which participants completed remotely using scratch-and-sniff cards and a web-based app. The researchers were looking for noninvasive ways to detect early brain changes that precede symptoms.

Mark Albers, MD, PhD, of Massachusetts General Hospital and his team developed the Aromha Brain Health to assess people’s ability to discriminate, identify and remember odors, based on research that the brain's ability to process smells is a key indicator of overall brain wellness. He said, “Early detection of cognitive impairment could help us identify people who are at risk of Alzheimer’s disease and intervene years before memory symptoms begin.”

Albers and colleagues have spent years researching whether olfactory dysfunction can serve as an early warning sign for neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson's disease, chronic traumatic encephalopathy, and traumatic brain injury.

This research included a confidence rating. This allowed them to measure not only whether participants correctly identified an odor, but also whether they were guessing. To validate the test’s ability to detect genuine smell impairments, the researchers also included a small group of individuals with anosmia.

This research is especially significant given that there are currently 50 million people living with Alzheimer’s and alz.org predicts that number to balloon to 152 million by 2050. Research has shown regular exercise, proper sleep, and healthy diet can significantly slow or eliminate risk of Alzheimer's Disease.