It can be surprising to learn that our sense of smell is linked to brain health. One in two people over age 60 may be living with smell loss, but they don’t know it until they are tested.
Monitoring your sense of smell could give you important information on your brain health as you age. Unlike temporary smell loss associated with COVID-19, ongoing smell loss can be a signal of cell damage associated with brain disease. In fact, smell loss may be one of the most important signals of risk for Parkinson’s disease. (It’s important to note that not everyone with smell loss develops Parkinson’s.)
A study from The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research is exploring this link and looking for 100,000 people who do not have Parkinson’s disease to take the Smell Test Challenge. A simple scratch-and-sniff test could help scientists learn more about the risk and develop new treatments. Everyone age 60 and older – without Parkinson’s disease – can take the free Smell Test Challenge.
We will be hosting a Smell Test Challenge for all interested residents on April 28th at 10:30am at our Springbrook Meadows Community Center. In this session we will go into more detail about the link between loss of smell and brain disease, as well as what you can do to take better care of your precious brain.
At this meeting we will also explain how you can sign up for the Smell Test Challenge and request a scratch-and-sniff test to participate in The Michael J. Fox Foundation’s research study. You’ll receive your test in the mail, and then it takes 15 to 30 minutes to complete and enter your answers through a website.
Please RSVP for the Smell Test Challenge by visiting our events page or calling (503) 487-8395.
Tell everyone you know over age 60 – family, friends, community members – to monitor their brain health and contribute to this important research study at https://mysmelltest.org/SL.
