Dementia is a neurological disease that may appear in the form of forgetting things, feeling anxious, struggling to make decisions, and other things.
Experts say that noticing symptoms Dementia It’s not easy, noting that “constant vigilance may not be the best way to protect your mental health,” but they stress that “knowing what symptoms to watch for is helpful.”
They explained that “one of the signs of dementia can appear during… Shower“It is the inability to smell or recognize the smell of shampoo or body wash,” highlighting that this symptom should not be noticed when you are infected with the virus. corona New or nasal congestion.
How does dementia affect a person’s ability to smell?
The “Parade” website said that it is important to first emphasize that “loss of sense of smell at an advanced age is not necessarily a sign of dementia.”
“Basically, this happens because dementia is a neurodegenerative disease. It affects the brain, which in turn affects the senses (and other body functions),” he added.
Dr. Meredith Bock, a board-certified neurologist, was quoted as saying: “As we age, it is normal for our senses to change. For people with dementia, these changes can be more noticeable.”
She highlighted: “The neurodegenerative process that causes dementia can also affect sensation and sensory processing related to smell, making it difficult to recognize familiar smells such as Shampoo Their favorite body wash or lotion.
For her part, Dr. Fawzia Siddiqui, a physician, said Nerves The official at Sentara RMH Medical Center: “An increased risk of cognitive decline and dementia associated with Alzheimer’s disease has been identified in people who suffer from a defect in sense of smell“.
She continued: “Smell recognition has also been identified as a useful screening tool that predicts conversion from mild cognitive impairment to disease-related dementia Alzheimer’s“.
Scientists say Nerves Loss of sense of smell usually occurs slowly and over time, and can actually occur even before a person notices any cognitive impairment.