An early sign of Alzheimer’s disease can be noticed while showering: what should you look out for?
It’s often thought that the first symptoms of Alzheimer’s are solely related to memory: a forgotten name, a word on the tip of the tongue, or difficulty getting around. But a recent study highlights a much more subtle and unexpected sign that could be detected simply… while taking a shower. Yes, you read that right!
We no longer recognize the smell of soap: a sign that should not be ignored.
Imagine this: you open your usual shower gel, the one with the scent you’ve known for years, and suddenly… nothing. Or rather, a faint, indistinct aroma. This seemingly trivial detail could actually be one of the first signs of cognitive decline, according to Professor Davangere Devanand, a psychiatrist and neurologist at Columbia University in New York.
Why? Because smell isn’t just about the nose: it’s a brain function closely linked to memory. The areas of the brain that allow us to identify smells are among the first to be affected in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease. A simple but revealing test:
In an eight-year study with more than 1,000 participants, researchers used a very accessible olfactory test: they simply scraped samples of scents and identified common smells, such as soap, smoke, roses, or leather. The result? People who had difficulty identifying these scents had a significantly higher risk of developing cognitive decline in old age.
A score below 8 out of 12 was already considered a warning sign. Combined with a short-term memory test, this sensory test proved to be as relevant as some brain MRIs or much more complex biological analyses. A promising result.
A valuable clue for early detection
The advantage of this test? It’s simple, non-invasive, inexpensive, and could be performed in a doctor’s office without sophisticated equipment. Above all, it would offer the possibility of identifying people at risk before the onset of visible symptoms, facilitating early treatment and appropriate prevention strategies.
As Dr. Jeffrey Motter, co-author of the study, points out, integrating this type of screening into routine medical follow-up could profoundly transform how we diagnose Alzheimer’s disease. This is a promising step forward for patients… and their families.
Which smells should raise concern?
Below are the 12 smells used in the test, which you should pay attention to if you experience persistent discomfort:
Non-food odors: soap, leather, lilac, smoke, gas, rose.
Food smells: cherry, clove, strawberry, menthol, pineapple, lemon.
Repeated difficulty recognizing several of these smells, especially a familiar fragrance like soap, may warrant a conversation with your doctor, particularly if you are concerned about other subtle signs (memory lapses, disorientation, loss of interest, etc.).
Moral of the story: Showering isn’t just a moment of relaxation… it could also become a silent warning about the state of our brain.
