In the 'Symptoms - Head - Nose' section of our in-depth questionnaire we ask the following question about decreasing ability to taste or smell:
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Has your ability to taste or smell decreased from what it used to be?
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Your answer |
...indicates |
...and suggests |
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"No / don't know" |
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| 2. |
"Somewhat" |
Reduced sense of taste or smell |
A symptom |
| 3. |
"Yes, definitely" |
Reduced sense of taste or smell |
A symptom |
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Your answer will affect the likelihoods of the conditions below.
Any answers in green reduce the likelihood of the condition.
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| Answers |
Condition |
Comment |
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3 |
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Alzheimer's Disease |
A reduced sense of smell can be one of the first signs of Alzheimer's Disease. Results from a 'smell' test, though not commonly available, were found by one study to be predictive of who would progress to Alzheimer's disease. A person's sense of smell is one of the first parts of the neurological system that Alzheimer's attacks. All 19 patients with mild cognitive impairment who developed Alzheimer's over the course of the study had low scores in smelling ability, the study found. None of the 30 individuals who scored well on the test developed Alzheimer's disease during the follow-up period, which averaged 20 months. These results were preliminary and more testing needs to be done. |
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2 |
3 |
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Dyspepsia / Poor Digestion |
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2 |
3 |
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Guillain-Barre Syndrome |
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2 |
3 |
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Vitamin A Requirement |
-- |
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2 |
3 |
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Zinc Requirement |
-- |
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GLOSSARY
Alzheimer's Disease (Alzheimer's)
A progressive disease of the middle-aged and elderly, characterized by loss of function and death of nerve cells in several areas of the brain, leading to loss of mental functions such as memory and learning. Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia.
Last updated: May 10, 2007
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