People With Alzheimer's Genes May Lose Sense of Smell First

• Steven Reinberg HealthDay Reporter
• July 26, 2023
• Full Page

People who carry a gene that's associated with Alzheimer's disease may lose their sense of smell long before memory and thinking problems occur, a new study suggests.

This early sign of potential dementia is not seen in people who don't carry this gene, called APOE e4, ...

Men's, Women's Hands Give Off Different 'Scent Profiles'

• Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
• July 7, 2023
• Full Page

Dogs can sniff out and track someone based on their scent, a trait that has aided scores of criminal investigations.

Laboratory scientists working with human odors report that a new discovery may also further crime solving: They've determined that the scents of women and...

As Seniors' Sense of Smell Declines, Their Risk for Depression Rises

• Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
• July 3, 2023
• Full Page

Researchers have found significant new evidence of a link between a decreased sense of smell and the risk of developing depression later in life.

Known as hyposmia, or at its most profound, anosmia, the condition has been associated previously with Alzheimer's disease in...

Millions Still Haven't Recovered Full Sense of Smell After COVID

• Steven Reinberg HealthDay Reporter
• June 13, 2023
• Full Page

COVID caused more than 20 million Americans to lose their ability to smell and taste, and at least 25% haven't regained those vital senses, a new study says.

Survey responses from nearly 29,700 adults also show a correlation between more severe COVID infection and t...

Your Risk of COVID-Linked Smell Loss Is Much Lower Now: Study

• Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
• June 7, 2023
• Full Page

One of the signature symptoms of COVID-19 infection in the early months of the pandemic was a loss of the sense of smell.

Now, new research finds that is no longer the case, thanks to the new variants that have been circulating more recently.

The risk of losing se...

For Seniors, Declining Sense of Smell Could Signal Frailty

• Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
• January 13, 2023
• Full Page

Doctors already test seniors' hearing and vision. Sense of smell could be added to screenings one day, according to researchers who found links between its loss and risk of frailty in older adults.

"We use our sense of smell to identify the threat of a fire or to enjoy t...

Science Reveals Cause of Smell Loss in COVID-19

• Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
• December 27, 2022
• Full Page

One of the hallmarks of a COVID-19 infection has been a lost sense of smell after the infection ends.

In a new study, researchers blame an ongoing immune assault on the olfactory nerve cells -- cells found at the top of the nasal cavity -- and a decline in the number of ...

Most COVID Patients Who Lose Sense of Smell Regain It Within 2 Years

• Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
• August 10, 2022
• Full Page

One of the most disturbing symptoms of COVID-19 has been the sudden loss of taste and smell.

Worryingly, some people don't regain these senses after recovering from their infection, raising the question of whether they'd ever again be able to taste and smell.

Now t...

Rapid Loss of Smell May Be Alzheimer's Precursor

• By Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
• July 29, 2022
• Full Page

Could the future of dementia screening include a test of a person's sense of smell?

It may, suggests a new study that found the decline in a person's sense of smell cou...

About 1 in 20 COVID-19 Patients Will Develop Long-Term Loss of Smell, Taste

• By Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
• July 28, 2022
• Full Page

Some 27 million people worldwide could suffer long-lasting damage to their sense of smell or taste following COVID-19 infection, and women are particularly vulnerable, a ne...

Smell, Taste Loss Less Likely With Newer COVID Variants: Study

• By Robert Preidt HealthDay Reporter
• May 11, 2022
• Full Page

Since the early days of the pandemic, loss of smell and taste have been tied to COVID-19 infection. But a new study shows those telltale traits are much less likely with the Omicr...

Understanding How COVID Can Trigger Loss of Smell

• By Robert Preidt HealthDay Reporter
• May 5, 2022
• Full Page

It has happened to millions during the pandemic: a sudden loss of smell that heralds the start of a COVID-19 infection. But scientists have been stumped as to why.

Until now.

New research suggests the symptom is due to inflammation rather than directly caused by th...

With COVID, Inflammation May Be Triggering Loss of Smell

• By Robert Preidt HealthDay Reporter
• April 12, 2022
• Full Page

Immune system-triggered inflammation is the likely reason for the loss of smell reported by many COVID-19 patients, a new study finds.

"As a neuropathologist, I wondered why smell loss is a ve...

Humans' Sense of Smell May Be Getting Duller

• Robert Preidt
• February 4, 2022
• Full Page

Your sense of smell may not be as good as that of your ancestors.

A new study that tested volunteers' perceptions of various smells -- including underarm odor -- adds to growing evidence that people's