Loss of sense of smell early indicator of Alzheimers
 

Alzheimer's test: Can you smell peanut butter?

This is true. Loss of sense of smell was one of the first symptoms my mom had. The forgetfulness came much later.............

She could not smell anything decades before she was diagnosed with Alzheimers in her early 80's...........passing away at age 91.

No one paid much attention to her when she would mention her loss of smell at age 60 on..........

It's important to note that the study does not deal with an overall loss of smell sensitivity, but a difference between left and right nostril sensitivity. And it right now only confirms a diagnosis. Further study is needed to determine if it is diagnostic. Also, the population studied was very small.

Not only was it a very small group but there are many other variables that apparently were not controlled very well if at all.


Of the 24 patients tested who had mild cognitive impairment, which sometimes signals Alzheimer’s disease and sometimes turns out to be something else, about 10 patients showed a left nostril impairment and 14 patients did not. The researchers said more studies must be conducted to fully understand the implications.

Stamps and Heilman point out that this test could be used by clinics that don’t have access to the personnel or equipment to run other, more elaborate tests required for a specific diagnosis, which can lead to targeted treatment.

I never heard that there could be a difference between the left and right nostril.

The first thing that happened to my father was that he had a few mini strokes. These were strokes that lasted only about 3 seconds. He thought he was going to fall down but it didn't last long enough for him to fall. Then the next thing we noticed was that he had NO sense of smell, and that was with both nostrils. About 3 decades later he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's.

But loss of smell alone will not give you a diagnosis of Alzheimer's with any certainty. That's because there can be other causes.

A stroke generally is caused by increased pressure in the small vessels in the brain or a clot.

Alzheimers is caused by plaque building up in the brain tissue causing the synapsis not to fire correctly.

Any trauma to the brain can cause loss of some of the function, such as vision, hearing, smell or touch.

I agree with Mikeod and Keeping it Real.

A "transient ischemic attack" (mini-stroke) happens when there's a temporary drop in the blood supply, depriving the brain of oxygen. My father had low-to-normal blood pressure so I doubt it was caused by "increased pressure". And it seems that a clot would have had longer lasting effects. There was no noticeable after effect from his strokes, other than loss of smell that was noticed sometime later. Also, an MRI showed that he had absolutely no coronary artery disease.

I said he had a "few" mini-strokes but I was talking about the ones that I was aware of. He possibly could have had many more during the night, when his blood pressure could have been too low, and not been aware of them.

Yes, but what causes the plaque to begin building up in the first place? I have read that one of the causes could be a lack of oxygen to the brain. And that's exactly what I described above with a transient ischemic attack.

What if bigger and better studies are done and the result is that they can use the smell test to diagnose Alzheimer's disease decades in advance. Then what? Would that mean the person is doomed to get Alzheimer's no matter what lifestyle that person chooses?

I'm not asking for myself; thankfully, I have a very good sense of smell.

I'm just wondering what others would say as far as options for such a person. Do you think that person should just give up and accept their fate? Or should they try hard to prove the diagnosis to be wrong?

Research continues and slowly more and more will be found out about this serious and devastating condition. Maybe there will be some treatment that can help as earlier and earlier diagnosis is made.

Researchers halt brain cell death in mice, hope for Alzheimer's | News | DW.DE | 11.10.2013

As more and more about Alzheimers is discovered, we may know why it happens and to whom it may happen and what, if anything, can be done to forestall or prevent the disease from manifesting.

We encountered that exact problem several years ago. There was evidence that someone with Alzeimers would show a reaction to a weak eye drop that shouldn't cause a reaction at all. If we used this test, was it specific enough that it accurately predicted the disease? And, since there is no cure, what do we tell the patient, if anything? The discussion was intense. There were strong feelings that we had to tell them so that they could perhaps plan for the future, make lifestyle changes, even make career changes. There was concern that some would take the info and sink into depression, leaving family in the lurch. We called in bioethicists and others to try to formulate some plan. It turned out the test was not specific enough to make any judgement from the results in a normal person, so it was not adopted as a screening test. So we never got to a final decision, but the debate was interesting.

Personally, I would want to know so I could make some plans before I was incapacitated. Things I wanted to do or see, or say. I had a dear patient whose husband developed the disease. They had a wonderful marriage, but as he got worse, he started to say awful, mean things to her, even accusing her of stealing from him. Sometimes she would come to the office and just talk and cry until she felt better. Fortunately, we had a multi-disciplinary group that she also could visit for support. From this, I would want to talk to people important to me to let them know how much I cared for them in case I may follow that path.

A very interesting, thought provoking question.

A lot of research has already been done concerning the effects of lifestyle choices. But it seems to me that most people are ignoring that research. Will a magic pill come along to disolve the plaque or keep it from forming in the first place? I highly doubt it. And I think many who are encouraged to wait for it are going to be sadly out of luck.

Changes in the lifestyle MAY offer some potential for avoiding or forestalling mental deterioration. Not sure if the research says it will work for all because if it was so, more emphasis on whatever seemed to be working would be BIG time news.

Becoming accustomed to different ways to eat, exercise, think, isn't always easy for many individuals and could be even more difficult in senior years. There are always conflicting reports that pop up confusing people even more. Is a high carb diet good? Is a high protein diet good? Is it better to be lean or a tad heavier as we age? Is intense exercise good or bad, will walking be as beneficial as running for heart health? It's not as easy as one would imagine.
We all do what we feel is the best for us as individuals....some agree with our choices and applaud us; some might not see why others don't or won't follow what is thought to be the "best" way to live. The human "condition" will never be perfect....genetics, environmental conditions, evolution just don't/won't let it be so.

And this study about genetic variants and cognitive decline.

We are indeed, a complicated species.


People born with certain gene more likely to suffer cognitive decline after heart surgery

It doesn't have to work for everyone in order to be worthwhile and no one expects it to work for everyone. If we all choose to be pessimistic about the value of healthy lifestyle choices, it won't work for anyone. Research indicates we could have a lot less people with Alzheimer's, judging by other countries and Adventists in our own country.

Does it have to be easy? Let it work, or give it a chance, for those who are willing to put forth some effort. And it might be easier if we encourage one another rather than trying to be discouraging.

Those of us who have put in a lot of time studying this will be glad to help out and thus eliminate a lot of the confusion.


If you are truly interested and doing what you believe is best, I'm not complaining about what you do. All I ask is that you not put up road-blocks for others who are earnestly looking for answers.

When you say, "we all do what we feel is the best for us as individuals", are you speaking for everyone? How do you know that to be a fact? There may be some who feel they can do better but are not sure how to go about it. Some people might appreciate some suggestions. Not everyone is the same.

Thanks, that's an interesting article. It has been known for some time that if you have a certain gene (APOE4) you will likely be more susceptible to getting Alzheimer's dementia. For example: If you suffer a concussion or if you are obese, have diabetes, or have an operation, those things can turn the Alzheimer's gene on. All the more reason to be careful about everything we do.

I understand that. I'm just saying that "at the time" it was my mom's only symptom and it presented itself when she was younger......years before she was actually diagnosed.......decades before, as a matter of fact.

She would always mention it to me , so she must have been concerned.
My brother would tell her she was zinc deficient.

She would say that if she had a gas leak she wouldn't be able to smell it.
I told her that she no longer had gas......in N.J., yes. In Vermont, no.

I probably just dismissed it at the time. Lack of a sense of smell seems a trivial concern.

However, many moons later, when I began to read about it as a "possible sign or precursor of Alzheimers" I always remembered her talking about it.

She also lost a lot of weight over the years and having always been a thin person anyway........lack of sense of smell hinders any enjoyment of food.

But, in my mind.........it was an early symptom. She was diagnosed in her early 80's and died at 91.........and it truly was "The Long Goodbye".

My dad also had a series of mini strokes........many many many mini strokes beginning in his sixties. He also had been a long time smoker of Camel's cigarettes since age 14 (no good) and was born with a congenital heart problem , one of a set of twins (the twin died at birth) in 1899.

Different generation re the smoking habit.

My mom was almost a dozen years younger than him......and was his only caregiver when he had to quit work and take early retirement.

These mini strokes continued until he began having mild heart attacks.
In the 1960's there wasn't the treatment there is now.

He slowly , very slowly became SENILE. He thought I was his sister Rose and he thought my infant daughter was ME.

My mom had to go to work and was afraid to leave him alone; concerned that he would burn the house down. Eventually, he died. My husband actually carried him into the emergency room as the "workers" didn't want to come out into the rain........

My mom was much older when her "confusion" began...........
In the beginning, no one thought there was anything wrong with her at all.
She was in excellent physical health; her doctor later said that for her age she had the heart , lungs, bones, etc. of a much younger person......

However, she would lose things and forget things.
Everything in her home was "disappearing".........even her African Violets.

She would also walk down to her hairdresser every single day thinking it was her Saturday appointment. Henry would tell me, "Your momma is confused". I actually had no clue by what he meant by "confused". I never thought Alzheimers.......never. It wasn't in the news that much.

She would walk to mass every day, thinking it was Sunday.
She would forget to send the kids birthday cards. We thought she was mad at us.

Her calendars would disappear, even though we marked them for her.

She'd call us and say that she was so HOT in her home.
We'd go and she had the thermostat set to the highest temperature.

She would call us to say she had "lost her pocketbook".....she was like Sophia on THE GOLDEN GIRLS, never without her purse.......we'd go to the house and look and look.......once we found it "behind the couch"........she didn't remember putting it there.

Before my stepdad died, he was "her other half of the brain"; he would write notes for her to take to the supermarket to get him some kind of cheese or other thing.......and by the time she got there, she forgot what she went for.............it's these little things.

But she still had her "social skills" and if we had visitors and she was with us........everyone thought there was nothing at all wrong with her.
My older brother told me that I "read too much"......

She forgot how to turn the television on.....so we'd write up instructions on how to dial to the Lawrence Welk Show, etc.......to no avail.

It was much easier when she came to live with us.......as long as I put her meals in front of her, laid out her clothes and helped her dress, helped her bathe, etc.........and expected nothing......she was FINE. She no longer had to think. Her geriatric doctor could not administer the cognitive test to her and told me he was very sorry for me but "Your Mom is severely demented with Alzheimers" To me, demented meant crazy. She was not crazy with us at all. She had become a docile little lamb. Her feisty younger self had GONE. She really was easy.......except for the wandering.

She had Sundowners Syndrome and would wander at night.
I could write a whole book on the "wandering"............

My dad never did that.

She lived with us for a long time until she could no longer get into the bathtub..........and I could no longer bathe her in the shower as she was afraid of the shower ..............

We arranged an assisted living type community care home (suggested by her adult daycare center).....and she did well there with a lot of her old friends.........until she began losing a lot of weight on ARICEPT meds..........

After a few years , ended up in a wonderful SKILLED NURSING HOME in the Alzheimers Unit for the last 18 months of her life..........again, "The Long Goodbye"........10 years all told........and I bet she had it sooner. She died at age 91 and was buried on Mothers Day.

My dad's senility from the mini strokes and mild heart attacks was totally different than my mom's dementia and Alzheimers.

The doctor wrote on her death certificate. VASCULAR. That's it.
Not Alzheimers as they really can't prove that unless they do a brain autopsy. But that was the diagnosis of several of her doctors.

One thing..........although her "short term memory" ended much sooner, her LONG TERM MEMORY was there until the very end......and she still remembered her father who died in 1919 and her mother who died in 1959 and called them by their Ukrainian names...........and would ask me daily "how are they".........she knew me until almost the end. She remembered the address she lived at as a little girl of 7 when her dad died of the flu. Long term memory is retained. She didn't remember my dad and she didn't remember my Irish stepfather......go figure.

She knew me, my husband, our kids.......for awhile.

I don't worry at all about getting Alzheimers as my long term and short term memory are just fine...........plus we all have to go from something.

I will be interested to know about the "aluminum connection" as she did use a lot of Kaopectate when they took Senior Citizen Bus Trips all over the country and she had a nervous stomach, and that supposedly has aluminum in it. Her doctors had tried her on thyroid drugs and various things.....lastly the Aricept which made her worse.......and caused her to lose her appetite.

At the very end, the skilled nursing home had a doctor who was doing research on new drugs for alzheimers and wanted to try it on my mom but when I read the side effects , I refused...........saying she had been through enough......he wasn't a happy camper........she died within the month.........very peacefully.......on my dad's birthdate and her mom's death date.

P.S. BEFORE SHE CAME TO LIVE WITH US, WE CLEANED OUT HER HOME........and were surprised to find so many "expired" items of dairy products and other foods in the frig.........we had respected the privacy of her and my stepdad and they would eat many meals at our home, not just for holidays......so I never looked in her frig as I didn't realize there was anything wrong with her...........in comparing notes with friends later.........I found out that this is one of the early symptoms again of the confusion that goes along with Alzheimers...........no understanding of date or time or place.

Senior,

You should write a book about your family history and self publish it. This would be a great gift for your children, grand children and all future generations. I wish I had more information about my family history but no one ever thought to put it in writing.

About aluminium: If I can find any information on it, I'll let you know.

PL, medical information indicates that the causes of a TIA, including a small blood clot may have passed by the time the patient reaches medical care.

There are several diseases and hereditary factors, not caused by poor nutrition or inactivity, that can cause small blood clots sans aetherosclerotic disease and HBP. Hemochromatosis and more insidious... heart arrhythmia or atrial fibrillation which may go undetected until a clot has formed in the atria and pumped out after the heart returns to normal rhythm, are examples of two of them.

Heart arrhythmia's are often a "wiring" problem in the heart. They can also be caused by heart disease in later life. One may have a complete absence of cardiac disease, live the cleanest life be plagued with medical issues.

The TIA's and Alzheimer's disease may have no correlation other than being hereditary in some individuals.

You are incorrect in your belief that trauma turns a gene "on". That is simplistic and inaccurate.


But how might the APOE e4 variant affect our ability to recover from a traumatic brain injury? Research on Alzheimer’s offers some clues.
Sizing up head trauma
More than 10 million people around the world suffer a traumatic brain injury every year and a staggering 1.7 million of these injuries occur in the USA. This makes traumatic brain injury the leading cause of death and disability in Americans under the age of 35. Most cases of brain injury result from falls and car accidents, but contact sports and modern warfare are also contributors.
It’s not clear exactly why people with the e4 variant are more likely to develop Alzheimer’s, but it is known that the brains of people with this variant have more protein clumps, called amyloid plaques, than the brains of people without the variant. It’s possible that these plaques cause neurons in the brain to die.
Up to 30% of people who suffer a severe traumatic brain injury also have plaques. These plaques seem to develop very quickly — sometimes within two hours — after injury. It’s possible that people with the e4 variant are simply more likely to develop plaques in their brains — perhaps even more so with trauma — and this predisposes them for developing cognitive problems.
Scientists have long thought that our genes interact with our environment to impact our health. In the case of mental decline and dementia, preliminary research suggests a connection between the APOE e4 variant and severe brain injury, but findings are inconsistent and more research is needed to know for sure.

Well, thank you kindly.........I appreciate that.

While you are checking out aluminum............

Besides the Kaopectate , she also used Immodium A.D. and went through lots of bottles on those long bus trips with her senior center.....

I've also heard that head trauma in youth can contribute to dementia or Alzheimers later in life.......due to brain damage.

So many theories.......

But, I do know that my dad's kind of senility was totally different than what I experienced with my mom.

P.S. In re reading one of your earlier posts, I might mention that my mom ALWAYS had LOW blood pressure and would feel dizzy rising from a seated position.