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Noticing This In The Shower Could Be An Early Sign Of Dementia
With NHS estimates suggesting that the UK could see more than a mil
lion dementia cases by 2030, keeping an eye out for early symptoms is a good idea.
After all, as the NHS says, “Although there is no cure for dementia at the moment, an early diagnosis means its progress can be slowed down in some cases, so the person may be able to maintain their mental function for longer.”
We’ve written before about how struggling to walk upstairs due to shuffling steps and poor depth perception can be a sign of early Alzheimer’s.
And now, a study from the University of Chicago reveals that you might be able to notice another symptom in the shower.
“The UChicago Medicine scientists found that a rapid decline in a person’s sense of smell during a period of normal cognition predicted multiple features of Alzheimer’s disease, including smaller gray matter volume in the areas of the brain related to smell and memory, worse cognition and higher risk of dementia,” the study said.
This means that failing to smell strong scents like shower gel and shampoos, as well as not picking up on strong cooking aromas and candles, could be an early indicator of dementia.
Senior study author Jayant Pinto, professor of surgery at the University of Chicago, said “This study provides another clue to how a rapid decline in the sense of smell is a really good indicator of what’s going to end up structurally occurring in specific regions of the brain.
“We were able to show that the volume and shape of grey matter in olfactory and memory-associated areas of the brains of people with rapid decline in their sense of smell were smaller compared to people who had less severe olfactory decline.”
Anything else?
This is just one of many symptoms of Alzheimer’s, Pinto says.
“We have to take our study in the context of all of the risk factors that we know about Alzheimer’s, including the effects of diet and exercise,” he shared.
“Sense of smell and change in the sense of smell should be one important component in the context of an array of factors that we believe affect the brain in health and ageing.”
Other symptoms of Alzheimer’s can include, per Alzheimer Scotland:
Struggling with timekeeping, or not being able to read an analogue clock
Personality or mood changes, especially dramatic ones
Struggling to find the right words or names
Losing sight
Sensory issues, like struggling with depth perceptions, loud noises, or changes to their sense of taste or smell
Hallucinations.
The NHS advises you to see a GP as soon as possible if you’re worried about yourself or a loved one and suggests you bring up the tricky topic gently and in a familiar place if someone you’re worried about seems to struggle with the issue.
注释：
shuffle: v
表示"洗牌；搅乱；拖着脚走"，means ""，如：The prisoners shuffled along the corridor and into their cells. 囚犯们沿着走廊拖着脚步进入牢房。He tries to shuffle his work off onto others. 他想把工作推给别人。Don't shuffle, give me a clear answer. 别支支吾吾，给我一个明确的答复。
olfactory: adj
表示" 嗅觉的"，means "of or relating to olfaction"，如：It arouses their olfactory sense. 这唤起了他们的嗅觉。
Hallucination: v
表示" 幻觉；幻想"，means "illusory perception; a common symptom of severe mental disorder"，如：An hallucination began to trouble him. 一种幻觉开始折磨他。
中文简要说明：
失智症目前仍无法靠药物治愈，只能透过预防手段推迟发病率与病程，记忆丧失是最常见的症状之一，嗅觉迅速退化也是阿兹海默症的病症，但相对较不引人留意，很可能错过早期诊断佳机，洗澡洗头时若自觉闻不到洗发精、肥皂、沐浴乳的香味，就要提高警觉。
英国《每日快报》（Daily Express）、《哈芬登邮报》（The Huffington Post）英国版报导，失智症是100多种症状的综称，阿兹海默症（Alzheimer’s disease）最常见，其他包括血管性失智症（Vascular dementia）、路易氏体失智症（Dementia with Lewy Bodies，DLB）、额颞叶失智症（Frontotemporal dementia，FTD）等等。全英失智症患者超过94.4万人，未来几年患者数会持续增加。
英国国民保健署（NHS）统整常见失智症状包括：记忆力减退、思考速度变慢、思绪敏捷度降低、情绪与个性大幅改变、日常任务执行困难等等，嗅觉丧失也是可能的警讯之一。美国芝加哥大学（University of Chicago）研究指出，嗅觉急遽衰退很可能是失智早期迹象，因为嗅觉能力是记忆力的关键表现所在，嗅觉衰退在最初阶段就能够加以辨识，洗澡是可以自我测试的日常活动之一。
研究团队分析了515名长者的嗅觉数据，希望由此开发嗅觉测试筛检方式，与视觉、听觉测试类似。研究人员认为，这些测试有利于鼓励民众关注与失智有关的可能早期警讯，洗发精、沐浴乳香味就是一种便于自我测试的工具。
研究报告资深作者、芝加哥大学研究嗅觉与鼻窦疾病的外科教授品托（Jayant M. Pinto）说，研究成果显示，嗅觉急遽衰退是一项良好的指标，可以判断大脑特定区域结构出现变化。与嗅觉急速退化的人相较，嗅觉退化较不严重者，脑部嗅觉与记忆有关的区域灰质体积与形状较小。同样的道理，无法闻到气味强烈的烹饪香气和香氛蜡烛飘散的味道，也要有所警觉。
品托也表示，嗅觉出问题是阿兹海默症众多症状之一，必须在已知此症所有危险因素之下进行研究，包括饮食、运动的影响。不过，在影响大脑健康与衰老过程的因素之中，嗅觉与嗅觉变化应该视为要项。
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