Sniff out Alzheimer’s disease at home?

Have you ever sat through a “scratch and sniff” movie?

It’s not a standard feature—but the idea is pretty interesting. It’s a clever way to enhance the cinematic experience and immerse you in the film.

And I’ll admit—they leave an impression.

See, smell is one of those underappreciated senses. We rarely think about it… until we lose it.

And now, scientists are harnessing the power of smell in another unique way—by using an at-home “peel-and-sniff” test to detect a debilitating disease…

What your nose reveals about your brain

If you ask anyone who experienced a COVID-19 infection and lost their sense of smell, you’ll understand just how important this sense is for simple, daily tasks—like the taste and enjoyment of food.

Of course, your sense of smell might also be an indicator of cognitive health.

In fact, researchers discovered that those with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), often a precursor to dementia, performed significantly worse on a new “peel-and-sniff” test compared to cognitively “normal” adults.

Also known as the AROMHA Brain Health Test (ABHT), this at-home test asks users to smell odors on a card.

Then, the test is designed to measure if users can identify, distinguish, and remember the odors.

Rest assured, this isn’t a trivia game—it’s practical. Because ultimately, an impaired sense of smell might be an early sign of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s.

And the science proves it…

Early detection is key

Researchers analyzed 127 cognitively normal adults, 34 with subjective memory concerns, and 19 with diagnosed MCI. Participants completed the test at home both independently and under observation.

As expected, researchers confirmed that odor identification, memory, and discrimination declined with age—but those with MCI showed the most significant drop in performance.

This is encouraging news, since early detection is key.

Not to mention, researchers at Columbia University recently found that combining a smell test with a short memory screening could predict cognitive decline as accurately as expensive brain imaging.

This opens the door to early intervention—before major, life-altering symptoms set in—and could be a real game-changer for people at higher risk of cognitive decline due to genetic factors like the APOE-4 gene, a history of depression, or early memory concerns.

And as a physician, I welcome any simple, non-invasive tool that can help flag who might need more advanced evaluations like MRIs, neuropsychological exams, or spinal taps.

If a simple sniff test can help us intervene earlier, why wouldn’t we use it?

After all, early detection is the name of the game. And now, it seems your nose might be the MVP.

P.S. For additional, science-backed ways to help protect (or restore!) memory and fight dementia, check out my Alzheimer’s Prevention and Treatment Plan. Click here now to learn more about this innovative, online learning tool.

Source:

“At-Home Smell Test for Cognitive Impairment Promising.” Medscape, 03/28/2025. (medscape.com/viewarticle/home-smell-test-cognitive-impairment-promising-2025a10007ge)