Loss of smell is often an early symptom of Alzheimer’s disease, and, according to new research published in the Journal of Neuroscience, could possibly serve as a warning sign at the onset of the disease. Previous research has explored the relationship between loss of smell—or olfactory dysfunction—and the accumulation of a protein in the brain associated with both Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, and this latest study, conducted by researchers at New York University’s Langone Medical Center, suggests that loss of smell may be one of the first indicators of Alzheimer’s, and, if detected before the disease has progressed significantly, could give physicians the opportunity for early intervention.
