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Smell Tests May Reveal Early Alzheimer’s Signs

8/17/2025

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Summary

Story summary

In Alzheimer’s mice, microglia remove nerve fibers in the olfactory bulb before amyloid plaques form.
This early loss results in smell deficits, suggesting smell tests could aid in early Alzheimer’s detection.
Human studies corroborate these findings, showing reduced norepinephrine fibers in early-stage Alzheimer’s patients.

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Story summary

In Alzheimer’s mice, microglia remove nerve fibers in the olfactory bulb before amyloid plaques form.
This early loss results in smell deficits, suggesting smell tests could aid in early Alzheimer’s detection.
Human studies corroborate these findings, showing reduced norepinephrine fibers in early-stage Alzheimer’s patients.