Routine sense of smell tests could be used to spot signs of dementia

Impaired smell in later life can be an early warning of neurodegenerative and heart diseases, research suggests

Olfactory tests could help doctors spot older adults who are at greater risk of developing dementia, researchers say.

The sense of smell is known to deteriorate with age. However, researchers have previously found it might also hint at health problems: older adults who struggle to identify odours have a greater chance of dying in the near future regardless of how old they are.