“While more research is needed to confirm these findings and determine what level of
would predict future risk, these results could be promising, especially in studies aiming to identify people at risk for dementia early in the disease.”
The study comprised an at-home survey in which over 865 participants were tested on their sense of smellboth their capacity to perceive an odor at all and their ability to identify the odor they were perceiving. The tests were conducted every five years. People’s cognitive and memory abilities were also assessed twice, five years apart. DNA samples revealed to researchers who contained the gene linked to an increased risk of Alzheimer’s (1✔ ✔Trusted Source
Association of APOE ε4 Status With Long-term Declines in Odor Sensitivity, Odor Identification, and Cognition in Older US Adults
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Scores for the odor detection test varied from zero to six based on how many distinct concentrations of scents participants could identify.
APOE e4 Gene Could be the Reason Behind Weak Smell
At a particular time point, persons who carried the gene variation were 37% less likely to have strong odor recognition than people who did not carry the gene. Other characteristics that may influence the results, such as age, gender, and educational level, were taken into consideration by the researchers.
At the ages of 65 to 69, the gene carriers began to experience impaired scent perception. At that age, gene carriers could identify an average of 3.2 odors, compared to 3.9 smells for persons who did not have the gene.
People having the gene variation had no difference in their ability to recognize the odor they were perceiving until they were 75 to 79 years old. When individuals began to lose their capacity to distinguish scents, gene carriers deteriorated faster than those who did not contain the gene.
Gene Variation Linked to Faster Cognitive Decline
At the outset of the investigation, the two groups’ thinking and memory abilities were comparable. However, as predicted, individuals who had the gene variation suffered faster decreases in their cognitive skills over time than those who did not possess the gene.
“Identifying the mechanisms underlying these relationships will help us understand the role of smell in neurodegeneration,” GoodSmith said.
The loss of smell could be a potential diagnostic tool for Alzheimer’s disease. A limitation of the study is that people with severe dementia were not included.
Reference :
- Association of APOE ε4 Status With Long-term Declines in Odor Sensitivity, Odor Identification, and Cognition in Older US Adults – (https:pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37495381/)
Source: Medindia
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