Sense of Smell and Parkinson's Disease

Parkinson's disease is a disorder of the central nervous system that causes impaired motor skills and speech problems. A reduced sense of smell is often cited as the first symptom of the disease for many sufferers.

What is Parkinson's Disease?

• Parkinson's disease is caused by a degeneration in brain function, resulting in tremors, rigidity, difficulty balancing and slow movement, among other symptoms. It affects one out of 250 people over age 40 and usually sets in between the ages of 50 and 79.

Smell

• An impaired sense of smell has been attributed as an early warning sign of Parkinson's disease. This can range from hyposmia, a reduced sense of smell, to anosmia, the inability to detect odors.

Time Frame

• According to a study published in the Annals of Neurology, an impaired sense of smell may predate clinical symptoms of the disease by as much as four years.

Theories/Speculation

• A study at the University of Pennsylvania has linked impaired sense of smell in mice with increased levels of a protein usually associated with Parkinson's disease. This has led some experts to believe they can conduct valid smell tests on human patients to assess the progression of the disease.

Benefits

• The ability to predict Parkinson's by an impaired sense of smell can enable early intervention with the disease, which can help control its symptoms.