Loss of smell is not only covid
Scientists have found that loss of smellwhich has become a hallmark of COVID, may also be an early sign dementia. Moreover, not only the sudden disappearance of the sense of smell, as with infection with a coronavirus, but also a gradual deterioration in sensitivity to odors. This was stated by researchers from the University of Chicago, writes The Daily Mail.
American researchers followed several hundred older people in the US for about 20 years. Initially, none of them had cognitive problems.
It turned out that those of the patients who complained of a persistent decrease in sensitivity to odors, the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease was almost twice as high.
– In people with a rapidly deteriorating sense of smell over time, brain problems and even Alzheimer’s disease itself can develop, compared with those who simply have a slightly worse sense of smell with age or retain a normal sense of smell, said researcher Rachel Pachina from the University of Chicago. – Sudden loss of smell is associated with an increased risk of reduced gray matter volume in parts of the brain associated with smell and memory. The risk was the same as those with the APOE-e4 gene, known as a genetic risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease.