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'Neural pruning' drives smell loss in early, silent stages of Alzheimer's | Scientists uncover the mechanism behind the loss of smell – which can be one of the first indicators of Alzheimer's disease
A loss of smell can be one of the earliest warning signs of Alzheimer’s disease, but the reasons behind this sensory change have been unclear. Now, a study reveals that the problem may not lie in the nose or olfactory bulb itself, as previously thought.
The animals' brains had early-onset AD signs like amyloid-beta buildup and neuronal hyperactivity, but had not yet experienced widespread cell death – a hallmark of the disease as it progresses. "Smell issues in Alzheimer's disease and damage to the associated nerves have been discussed for some time," said Joachim Herms, a research group leader at DZNE and LMU. "Our findings could pave the way for the early identification of patients at risk of developing Alzheimer’s, enabling them to undergo comprehensive testing to confirm the diagnosis before cognitive problems arise," said Herms.
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