Making scents of Alzheimer’s

A simple scratch-and-sniff test may someday help predict the onset of Alzheimer’s disease among people suffering minor memory problems.

Researchers asked 77 people being evaluated for minor memory problems to identify 40 smells, such as menthol and peanuts, on scratch-and-sniff cards. Two years later, the scientists found that 19 of the 77 had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.