Anna Wolf

As we age, we often have problems with our ability to smell (called olfactory dysfunction). By Anna Wolf and Alex Bahar-Fuchs, University of Melbourne Older people might not be able to identify an odour or differentiate one odour from another. In some cases they might not be able to detect an odour at all. Odour identification difficulties are common in people with neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease.

As we age, we often have problems with our ability to smell (called olfactory dysfunction). Older people might not be able to identify an odour or differentiate one odour from another. In some cases they might not be able to detect an odour at all. Odour identification difficulties are common in people with neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease. In the absence of a known medical cause, an impaired sense of smell can be a predictor of cognitive decline.

An inhibited sense of smell means we may not taste our food as well. Credit: shutterstock.com As we age, we often have problems with our ability to smell (called olfactory dysfunction). Older people might not be able to identify an odour or differentiate one odour from another. In some cases they might not be able to detect an odour at all. Odour identification difficulties are common in people with neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease.