{"id":45130,"date":"2025-09-05T11:13:13","date_gmt":"2025-09-05T11:13:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/45130\/"},"modified":"2025-09-05T11:13:13","modified_gmt":"2025-09-05T11:13:13","slug":"new-research-links-smell-loss-to-alzheimers-risk","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/45130\/","title":{"rendered":"New Research Links Smell Loss to Alzheimer\u2019s Risk"},"content":{"rendered":"<ul data-node-id=\"0\" class=\"css-kw9lqy emevuu60\">\n<li data-node-id=\"0.0\">There are a slew of different <a href=\"https:\/\/www.womenshealthmag.com\/health\/a65333676\/early-warning-signs-alzheimers-aging\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-vars-ga-outbound-link=\"https:\/\/www.womenshealthmag.com\/health\/a65333676\/early-warning-signs-alzheimers-aging\/\" data-vars-ga-ux-element=\"Hyperlink\" data-vars-ga-call-to-action=\"early warning signs\" data-node-id=\"0.0.0.1\" class=\"body-link css-7bauu1 emevuu60\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">early warning signs<\/a> for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.womenshealthmag.com\/health\/a65821905\/cholesterol-alzheimers-link-apoe4-study\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-vars-ga-outbound-link=\"https:\/\/www.womenshealthmag.com\/health\/a65821905\/cholesterol-alzheimers-link-apoe4-study\/\" data-vars-ga-ux-element=\"Hyperlink\" data-vars-ga-call-to-action=\"Alzheimer&#039;s disease\" data-node-id=\"0.0.0.3\" class=\"body-link css-7bauu1 emevuu60\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Alzheimer&#8217;s disease<\/a>, but a new study emphasized the need to add a surprising warning sign to the list.<\/li>\n<li data-node-id=\"0.1\">Losing your sense of smell is liked with the development of Alzheimer&#8217;s, the study found.<\/li>\n<li data-node-id=\"0.2\">This is not the first time scientists have established this connection, so here&#8217;s why that happens, and what it means.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"2\" class=\"css-i9p093 emevuu60\">It\u2019s fair to raise a yellow flag if you notice you or a family member is being more forgetful than usual lately. But new research suggests that a key early warning for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.womenshealthmag.com\/health\/a65872748\/omega-3-women-alzheimers-risk\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-vars-ga-outbound-link=\"https:\/\/www.womenshealthmag.com\/health\/a65872748\/omega-3-women-alzheimers-risk\/\" data-vars-ga-ux-element=\"Hyperlink\" data-vars-ga-call-to-action=\"Alzheimer\u2019s disease\" data-node-id=\"2.1\" class=\"body-link css-7bauu1 emevuu60\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Alzheimer\u2019s disease<\/a> may be more subtle than that. <\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"3\" class=\"css-i9p093 emevuu60\">The <a href=\"https:\/\/go.redirectingat.com?id=74968X1576255&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nature.com%2Farticles%2Fs41467-025-62500-8\" target=\"_blank\" data-vars-ga-outbound-link=\"https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41467-025-62500-8\" data-vars-ga-ux-element=\"Hyperlink\" data-vars-ga-call-to-action=\"Nature Communications\" data-vars-ga-product-id=\"883c27cb-dd21-4403-bc76-a39c2c0bebf8\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" data-node-id=\"3.1.0\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41467-025-62500-8\" data-product-url=\"https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41467-025-62500-8\" data-affiliate=\"true\" data-affiliate-url=\"https:\/\/go.redirectingat.com?id=74968X1576255&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nature.com%2Farticles%2Fs41467-025-62500-8\" data-affiliate-network=\"{&quot;site_id&quot;:&quot;6b499c58-dc46-4f93-80b3-25265395e77a&quot;,&quot;metadata&quot;:null,&quot;network&quot;:{&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Skimlinks&quot;},&quot;product_metadata&quot;:null,&quot;afflink_redirect&quot;:&quot;\/_p\/afflink\/xl78\/nature-early-locus-coeruleus-noradrenergic-axon&quot;}\" data-vars-ga-product-price=\"$0.00\" data-vars-ga-product-retailer-id=\"c52d7bb7-46c9-4a96-b6f4-1d9b14960dc9\" data-vars-ga-link-treatment=\"(not set) | (not set)\" class=\"body-link product-links css-7bauu1 e1aq0z090\">Nature Communications<\/a> study adds to a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.womenshealthmag.com\/health\/a65219508\/blood-test-alzheimers-risk-study\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-vars-ga-outbound-link=\"https:\/\/www.womenshealthmag.com\/health\/a65219508\/blood-test-alzheimers-risk-study\/\" data-vars-ga-ux-element=\"Hyperlink\" data-vars-ga-call-to-action=\"growing body of research\" data-node-id=\"3.3\" class=\"body-link css-7bauu1 emevuu60\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">growing body of research<\/a> that links a fading sense of smell to the devastating condition, and may eventually help with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.womenshealthmag.com\/health\/a64232091\/alzheimers-treatments-womens-brains\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-vars-ga-outbound-link=\"https:\/\/www.womenshealthmag.com\/health\/a64232091\/alzheimers-treatments-womens-brains\/\" data-vars-ga-ux-element=\"Hyperlink\" data-vars-ga-call-to-action=\"earlier diagnosis\" data-node-id=\"3.5\" class=\"body-link css-7bauu1 emevuu60\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">earlier diagnosis<\/a> and treatment. While this isn\u2019t the first thing doctors look for when diagnosing Alzheimer\u2019s disease, that may eventually change. Here\u2019s what you need to know.<\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"4\" class=\"body-tip css-18qyn7q emevuu60\"><strong data-node-id=\"4.0\">Meet the experts<\/strong>: <a href=\"https:\/\/neurology.msu.edu\/directory\/amit-sachdev\" target=\"_blank\" data-vars-ga-outbound-link=\"https:\/\/neurology.msu.edu\/directory\/amit-sachdev\" data-vars-ga-ux-element=\"Hyperlink\" data-vars-ga-call-to-action=\"Amit Sachdev,\" data-node-id=\"4.2\" class=\"body-link css-7bauu1 emevuu60\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Amit Sachdev,<\/a> MD, MS, is the medical director in the Department of Neurology at Michigan State University; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.providence.org\/doctors\/profile\/203880-clifford-segil\" target=\"_blank\" data-vars-ga-outbound-link=\"https:\/\/www.providence.org\/doctors\/profile\/203880-clifford-segil\" data-vars-ga-ux-element=\"Hyperlink\" data-vars-ga-call-to-action=\"Clifford Segil,\" data-node-id=\"4.4\" class=\"body-link css-7bauu1 emevuu60\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Clifford Segil,<\/a> DO, is a neurologist at Providence Saint John\u2019s Health Center in Santa Monica, CA.<\/p>\n<p><strong data-node-id=\"6.0\">What did the study find?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"7\" class=\"css-i9p093 emevuu60\">For this particular study, researchers analyzed data from brain samples in patients who died with Alzheimer\u2019s disease, positron emission tomography (PET) scans of the brains of people with Alzheimer&#8217;s or mild cognitive impairment, and some mice studies. The exact findings are complicated, but the researchers discovered a biological mechanism in patients with Alzheimer&#8217;s that links a reduced sense of smell to early damage in part of the brainstem.<\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"8\" class=\"css-i9p093 emevuu60\">Specifically, the researchers note in the study that the findings suggest that the brain\u2019s immune response in someone with Alzheimer\u2019s disease kills off connections that the brain needs to detect <a href=\"https:\/\/www.womenshealthmag.com\/beauty\/g38748502\/best-rose-scented-perfumes\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-vars-ga-outbound-link=\"https:\/\/www.womenshealthmag.com\/beauty\/g38748502\/best-rose-scented-perfumes\/\" data-vars-ga-ux-element=\"Hyperlink\" data-vars-ga-call-to-action=\"scents\" data-node-id=\"8.1\" class=\"body-link css-7bauu1 emevuu60\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">scents<\/a>. <\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"9\" class=\"css-i9p093 emevuu60\">This isn\u2019t the first study to link a reduced sense of smell to Alzheimer\u2019s disease. A 2022 study published in the <a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/35180111\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-vars-ga-outbound-link=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/35180111\/\" data-vars-ga-ux-element=\"Hyperlink\" data-vars-ga-call-to-action=\"Journal of Alzheimer\u2019s Disease\" data-node-id=\"9.1.0\" class=\"body-link css-7bauu1 emevuu60\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Journal of Alzheimer\u2019s Disease<\/a> determined that a decline in a person\u2019s sense of smell is linked to a faster development of signs of Alzheimer\u2019s disease in the brain. Older <a href=\"https:\/\/www.neurology.org\/doi\/10.1212\/CPJ.0000000000000293\" target=\"_blank\" data-vars-ga-outbound-link=\"https:\/\/www.neurology.org\/doi\/10.1212\/CPJ.0000000000000293\" data-vars-ga-ux-element=\"Hyperlink\" data-vars-ga-call-to-action=\"research\" data-node-id=\"9.3\" class=\"body-link css-7bauu1 emevuu60\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">research<\/a> has also linked a drop in sense of smell to the development of Alzheimer\u2019s disease.<\/p>\n<p>More Stories On Alzheimer&#8217;s Risk<strong data-node-id=\"11.0\">How is sense of smell related to Alzheimer\u2019s?<\/strong> <\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"12\" class=\"css-i9p093 emevuu60\">It&#8217;s hard to say for certain why this link exists, and it&#8217;s an area of research that is being explored. In this study, the researchers found that a diminished sense of smell occurs when immune cells of the brain (microglia) erase key connections between the olfactory bulb, (which analyzes information from the nose\u2019s scent receptors) and a region of the brainstem known as locus coeruleus.<\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"13\" class=\"css-i9p093 emevuu60\">As a result of this attack on those connections, someone who has early-stage Alzheimer\u2019s disease may not be able to smell as well as usual.<\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"14\" class=\"css-i9p093 emevuu60\">But experts note that a duller sense of smell may simply be related to normal aging, making it hard to definitively say that changes to this sense is a definitive sign of Alzheimer&#8217;s disease, says <a href=\"https:\/\/www.providence.org\/doctors\/profile\/203880-clifford-segil\" target=\"_blank\" data-vars-ga-outbound-link=\"https:\/\/www.providence.org\/doctors\/profile\/203880-clifford-segil\" data-vars-ga-ux-element=\"Hyperlink\" data-vars-ga-call-to-action=\"Clifford Segil,\" data-node-id=\"14.1\" class=\"body-link css-7bauu1 emevuu60\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Clifford Segil,<\/a> DO, a neurologist at Providence Saint John\u2019s Health Center in Santa Monica, CA. Dr. Segil says he has not seen this as a symptom in his patients with memory loss and is probably more likely a &#8220;normal change&#8221; due to aging.  <\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"15\" class=\"css-i9p093 emevuu60\">Indeed, while this is an area that\u2019s still being explored, right now, doctors don\u2019t typically look for changing sense of smell when diagnosing Alzheimer\u2019s disease, says <a href=\"https:\/\/neurology.msu.edu\/directory\/amit-sachdev\" target=\"_blank\" data-vars-ga-outbound-link=\"https:\/\/neurology.msu.edu\/directory\/amit-sachdev\" data-vars-ga-ux-element=\"Hyperlink\" data-vars-ga-call-to-action=\"Amit Sachdev,\" data-node-id=\"15.1\" class=\"body-link css-7bauu1 emevuu60\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Amit Sachdev,<\/a> MD, MS, medical director in the Department of Neurology at Michigan State University. \u201cLoss of smell is not a commonly-recognized feature of Alzheimer\u2019s,\u201d he says. <\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"16\" class=\"css-i9p093 emevuu60\">Dr. Segil agrees. &#8220;A loss of smell is not something neurologists use in clinical practice to treat, manage, or care for patients with memory loss and dementia,&#8221; he says.   <\/p>\n<p><strong data-node-id=\"17.0\">What are some other signs of early Alzheimer\u2019s?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"18\" class=\"css-i9p093 emevuu60\">Alzheimer\u2019s disease can look slightly different in everyone, but the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/alzheimers-dementia\/signs-symptoms\/alzheimers.html\" target=\"_blank\" data-vars-ga-outbound-link=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/alzheimers-dementia\/signs-symptoms\/alzheimers.html\" data-vars-ga-ux-element=\"Hyperlink\" data-vars-ga-call-to-action=\"Centers for Disease Control and Prevention\" data-node-id=\"18.1\" class=\"body-link css-7bauu1 emevuu60\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Centers for Disease Control and Prevention<\/a> (CDC) recommends being on the lookout for these symptoms:<\/p>\n<ul data-node-id=\"19\" class=\"css-kw9lqy emevuu60\">\n<li data-node-id=\"19.0\">      Memory loss that disrupts daily life.<\/li>\n<li data-node-id=\"19.1\">      Trouble with planning or solving problems.<\/li>\n<li data-node-id=\"19.2\">      Difficulty completing familiar tasks at home, at work, or during your off-time.<\/li>\n<li data-node-id=\"19.3\">      Being confused about what time it is or where you are.<\/li>\n<li data-node-id=\"19.4\">      Trouble understanding visual images and spatial relations.<\/li>\n<li data-node-id=\"19.5\">      New problems with words in speaking or writing.<\/li>\n<li data-node-id=\"19.6\">      Misplacing things and not being able to retrace steps.<\/li>\n<li data-node-id=\"19.7\">      Poor judgement or a drop in judgement.<\/li>\n<li data-node-id=\"19.8\">      Withdrawing from work or social activities.<\/li>\n<li data-node-id=\"19.9\">      Changes in mood or personality.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"20\" class=\"css-i9p093 emevuu60\">Missing bills or having trouble managing finances can also be early signs of dementia, Dr. Sachdev adds. <\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"21\" class=\"css-i9p093 emevuu60\">As for looking for changes in the ability to smell, more research is needed. \u201cAt this time, it is not clear that measuring smell predicts disease progression or severity,\u201d Dr. Sachdev says. But this study adds another small step towards better unraveling this complex disease and its many mysteries.<\/p>\n<p><img src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/1757070793_500_ea27d1a6-ecd9-4da8-b2a7-049a03b4ab93_1528214135.file\" alt=\"Headshot of Korin Miller\" title=\"Headshot of Korin Miller\" width=\"100%\" height=\"100%\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"css-o0wq4v ev8dhu53\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Korin Miller is a freelance writer specializing in general wellness, sexual health and relationships, and lifestyle trends, with work appearing in Men\u2019s Health, Women\u2019s Health, Self, Glamour, and more. She has a master\u2019s degree from American University, lives by the beach, and hopes to own a teacup pig and taco truck one day.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"There are a slew of different early warning signs for Alzheimer&#8217;s disease, but a new study emphasized the&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":45131,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[78],"tags":[341,33923,343,18,346,135,19,17,590,33922],"class_list":{"0":"post-45130","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-health","8":"tag-content-type-news","9":"tag-contentid-a927f1c6-91a6-4441-9993-ddca3e206f04","10":"tag-displaytype-standard-article","11":"tag-eire","12":"tag-hasproduct-true","13":"tag-health","14":"tag-ie","15":"tag-ireland","16":"tag-locale-us","17":"tag-shorttitle-new-research-links-smell-loss-to-alzheimers-risk"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45130","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=45130"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45130\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/45131"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=45130"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=45130"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=45130"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}