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Trouble Identifying Odors Points to
Alzheimer's
(NY, Reuters Health, 1/23/07)
Dr. Robert S. Wilson of Rush University Medical Center,
Chicago, and team, tested elderly subjects for “Smell
Identification” as part of a memory and aging study. When the
researchers examined the brains of 129 seniors who died during
the course of the study, they found a link between the loss of
the ability to identify odors and the buildup of 'tangles' in
the brain that signal the onset of Alzheimer's disease. These
findings suggest that the inability to identify familiar odors
may be an early symptom that could prove useful in diagnosing
the condition.
(Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and
Psychiatry, January 2007) |
Article Summary