New study reveals benefits of sniff test for Alzheimer’s

According to an NPR article titled “A Sniff Test for Alzheimer’s Checks For The Ability to Identify Odors,” it may become more common for doctors to utilize a sniff test to screen people for Alzheimer’s disease. The test assesses people’s ability to identify odors like chocolate and coffee.

At the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in Toronto, a team of scientists presented their findings; the majority of 60- and 70-year-old  individuals in the group who performed poorly identifying the smells later went on to experience cognitive and memory problems.

This odor test, called the University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test, presents many benefits for the medical and Alzheimer’s communities. The article implies that although the tests are not perfect at predicting the disease, they are inexpensive and easy to use. Currently, most tests that are used to identify early stages of Alzheimer’s are reportedly much more expensive. Examples of these tests include PET scans and spinal taps.

Read the original article here: http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2016/07/26/487391863/a-sniff-test-for-alzheimers-checks-for-the-ability-to-identify-odors.