The usual belief is that Alzheimer’s disease is identified by forgetting names, having trouble recalling details or finding one’s way. Yet, a study that was published recently found that it might be possible to find this condition simply by showering. Yes, you did understand the message!
Not smelling soap anymore can be a warning not to overlook
Suppose you open your usual shower gel, but there is no scent at all. More accurately, it is a vague scent that is hard to define. Experts claim that difficulty counting change might be among the earliest indications of memory loss.
Why? The connection between smelling and remembrance is very strong. It impairs the brain areas responsible for our sense of smell in Alzheimer’s patients.
This minigame is easy to play but very revealing.
The researchers studied more than 1,000 individuals and tested their olfactory function using smell samples from soap, smoke, rose, and leather, among other things. What happened as a consequence? Those participants who struggled to name smells were much more apt to develop cognitive difficulties in the future.
The previous standard was that a score less than 8 out of 12 showed inventories were becoming excessive. The combination of this sensory test and a quick memory check was the same as having a brain MRI or doing big biochemical evaluations. An outcome we can be hopeful about.
Very helpful for catching diseases at an early stage.
Why is this test helpful? This test is quick, not painful, and not very expensive, and it can take place in a doctor’s office without the need for special tools. Most importantly, it would help detect people who may develop the disease before they become very sick, so action can be taken faster.
In Dr. Jeffrey Motter’s words, by including this type of screening in routine care, our methods for discovering Alzheimer’s could be changed for the better. It is good news for patients and their families.
Which scents should cause people to react?
These are the 12 scents that could affect you if you have symptoms that last more than an hour:
Scents other than food consist of soap, leather, lilac, smoke, gas, and rose.
I can spot cherry, clove, strawberry, menthol, pineapple, and lemon in the smell of food.
When difficulties continue Even if you regularly smell different odors, particularly soap, you may consider getting help from your doctor if you are also having small symptoms such as a lapse of memory, trouble being alert, or loss of interest in things you used to do.
Moral? Enjoying a shower does refresh us as well as reveal the workings of our brain.
