The simple test that could reveal if you’re at higher risk if dying in the next 6 years
A SIMPLE smell test could reveal if you're at higher risk of dying in the next six years.
Loss of smell could predict future illness, signalling conditions such as dementia and frailty, scientists said.
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Previous research has shown that older adults with a poor sense of smell have a higher risk of mortality, but the mechanisms behind this link have remained unclear.
Scientists from the Karolinska Institute in Sweden found that adults who frequently misidentified smells were more likely to die in the next six years - with their risk jumping by 6 per cent study each time they got it wrong.
Study participants were adults between the ages of 60 and 99 whose smelling skills were put to test with what's known as the Sniffin’ Sticks Odour Identification task.
They were given sixteen felt tip pens with distinct smells one after the other, and allowed to smell them for five seconds each.
The 2,524 participants were asked to name what they were smelling if they were able to.
Otherwise, they were given a multiple choice and asked to select the correct one out of four.
They got one point with each correct answer - so if someone were to name every single smell they'd get 16 points.
Participants were categorised as anosmic - smell blind - if they got six points or less.
Those who were able to correctly identify 11 to 16 smells were normosmic - meaning they had a normal sense of smell.
After 6 years, about 18 per cent of participants had died and 9 per cent had developed dementia.
After 12 years, 39 per cent had passed away and 15 per cent had the memory-robbing disease.
Researchers compared this information to their smell tests to assess their likelihood of dying after six and 12 years.
Each incorrect answer on the odour identification test was associated with a 6 per cent increased risk of death after six years, and with a 5 per cent increased risk at 12 years.
So if someone got a score of 6 on their smell test, they had a 42 per cent increased risk of death from any cause after six years and a 34 per cent increased risk at 12 years.
Dementia symptoms can be subtle and vague at first.
As the disease progresses, symptoms can become more severe.
Some common early symptoms include:
- Memory problems: Difficulty remembering recent events, or putting things in unusual places
- Confusion: Disorientation or getting lost while driving
- Communication problems: Difficulty finding words or understanding what is being said
- Other problems: Reduced concentration, poor judgment, or changes in personality or behaviour
As dementia progresses, symptoms can include:
- Behavioural problems: Aggressive behaviour, withdrawal from friends and family, or difficulty controlling emotions
- Mobility problems: Reduced ability to move around, or freezing in place
- Other problems: Sleep problems, hallucinations, or misperceptions
If you notice any of these symptoms in yourself or someone else, , it's important to speak with a doctor, as these are significant health concerns.
Researchers found that anosmic people had a 68 per cent higher risk of death after six years compared to normosmic participants.
For people who performed poorly on their smell test, dementia was the biggest risk factor for early death after six years, followed by respiratory illness.
At the 12 year mark, frailty became a bigger risk factor, scientists said.
"Dementia explained 23 per cent of the olfaction-mortality association at six years," they wrote.
"However, this association was absent at 12 years.
"Frailty accounted for 11 per cent of the total association at 6 years and remained the only meaningful mediator at 12 years, accounting for 8 per cent of the total association."
They concluded: "Overall, our findings reinforce olfactory deficits as a marker, rather than a direct contributor, to health outcomes linked to increased mortality."
Researchers said better understanding of the relationship between poor sense of smell and mortality could help find ways to improve the survival and quality of life for people with "olfactory deficits".
thesun
