Researchers from Johns Hopkins Medicine, in the US, have shown a link between loss of the sense of smell and the risk of depression in the elderly.
This sensory disturbance can be a predictor of late-onset depression in the elderly, according to the study, published in the Journal of Gerontology: Medical Sciences, according to researchers who analyzed data from 2,125 people ages 70 to 73 over an 8-year period. .
At the start of the study, 28% of the subjects had a reduced sense of smell and 24% had a profound loss of smell, known as anosmia, but during follow-up, 25% of the study participants became severely depressed. symptoms.
Further analysis revealed that those with a reduced sense of smell at the start of the study were more likely to be depressed, while the participants with a better sense of smell were younger than those who reported a decreased sense of smell.
“Smell is an important way to communicate with the world around us, and this study shows that it can be a warning sign of late-onset depression,” said Vidya Kamath, lead author of the study, quoted in The Sun.
And he analyzed, “Loss of the sense of smell affects many aspects of our health and behavior, such as the detection of spoiled food or harmful gases, and the pleasure of eating.”
