A new study from Mass General Brigham reveals that olfactory tests can significantly aid in the early detection of cognitive impairment, particularly Alzheimer's disease.

The study included English- and Spanish-speaking individuals with subjective cognitive complaints and mild cognitive impairment, comparing their performance to those who were cognitively normal.

Researchers have developed an at-home smell test, known as the Aroma Brain Health Test, which assesses participants' abilities to discriminate, identify, and remember various odors.

The Aroma Brain Health Test will be available for purchase in April 2025, offered in both English and Spanish, making it accessible to a broader audience.

Future research is expected to include neuropsychological testing and longitudinal studies to further assess the predictive power of olfactory testing for cognitive decline.

The study also explored how olfactory dysfunction, a subtle loss of smell, may signal neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.

Dr. Mark Albers, a senior author of the study, highlighted the importance of early detection, which could allow for interventions before significant memory loss occurs.

Results indicated that older adults with mild cognitive impairment performed worse in odor identification and discrimination compared to their cognitively normal peers.

Notably, the test demonstrated consistent results across different language groups and showed no performance variation whether participants were observed by researchers or not.

Participants completed at-home tests that involved sniffing odor labels to evaluate their ability to identify and remember smells, which are closely linked to memory function.