The inability to identify the smell of lemons, lilac, leather and seven other odors predicts which patients with minimal to mild cognitive impairment (MMCI) will develop Alzheimer's Disease, according to a study presented today at the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ACNP) annual meeting.
For patients with MMCI, the odor identification test was found to be a strong predictor of Alzheimer's Disease during follow-up, and compared favorably with reduction in brain volumes on MRI scan and memory test performance as potential predictors.
"Early diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease is critical for patients and their families to receive the most beneficial treatment and medications," says lead researcher D.P. Devanand, MD, Professor of Clinical Psychiatry and Neurology at Columbia University and Co-Director of the Memory Disorders Center at the New York State Psychiatric Institute. "While currently there is no cure for the disease, early diagnosis and treatment can help patients and their families to better plan their lives."