A new study now claims that dementia can be accurately predicted at least five years before symptoms develop with a simple smell test.
According to the study, those who cannot identify four out of five common odors were more than twice as likely to develop the disease.
The study further says that worse the sense of smell, the bigger risk of being struck by dementia there is.
The study was conducted by scientists from the University of Chicago.
The aromas that were used in the experiment were pepperming, fish, orange, rose and leather.
According to researchers, the findings could be used as an early warning system and would allow for drugs and lifestyle changes, such as a healthy diet and more exercise, to be more effective before the devastating condition takes hold.
The findings add to growing evidence the first damage to the brain occurs in olfactory neurons, which distinguish between different aromas.
Five years after the initial test, almost all the participants who were not able to name a single scent were diagnosed with dementia.
Lead author Professor Jayant Pinto said that the loss of the sense of smell is a strong signal that something has gone wrong and significant damage has been done.
