Mainstream medical research has thrown billions of dollars into two failed “decades of the brain.” Yet, they still have no standard, affordable test to screen for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) or dementia, let alone treatment.
So—patients suspected of even just age-related memory loss are often put through a litany of expensive, invasive diagnostic tests, such as PET scans and spinal taps to get much-needed answers. And even after taking those tests, people often end up with more questions than answers.
But new research suggests there are two completely easy, non-invasive, highly accurate screening tests that your primary care doctor can perform in their very own office to rule out cognitive problems within minutes!
So, without further ado, let’s put our minds to it…
AD linked to problems with this basic sense
As I recently reported, new research shows that one of the earliest signs of dementia doesn’t have anything to do with what we would normally think of as a memory problem. Instead, it relates to something quite interesting…
Your sense of smell.
In fact, your olfactory system—which determines your sense of smell and is connected directly to the front of your brain—has stem cells that self-regenerate. So, if you start to experience a decline in your sense of smell, it may mean that your brain is having trouble rebuilding key pathways…which can be an early warning sign of dementia.
In addition, as I reported last month, researchers with the University of Chicago have found that men and women who cannot identify five familiar scents are much more likely to develop dementia over the next five years.
And now, for this new study, researchers gave participants a similar smell test and a standard cognitive test, which provided even more reliable results…
Two tests are better than one
For this new study, U.S. researchers analyzed data on more than 700 healthy, older adults who had not been diagnosed with AD or dementia. All participants took a 40-item smell test and a brief cognitive test. Then, researchers followed up with participants about four years later, on average.
During this follow-up period, 109 of the participants developed some type of dementia. And, among this group, the vast majority developed AD, specifically.
It turns out, a lower score on either the smell test or the cognitive test was significantly associated with developing dementia. And when the participant scored low on both tests, it much more strongly predicted the likelihood of developing dementia.
On the flip side, almost 97 percent of the participants who scored well on the two tests did not ever develop dementia. So, clearly, these two simple, inexpensive, and non-invasive tests were highly accurate predictors.
In addition, they’re a lot less costly, dangerous, and stressful than other tests! Better yet, your primary care doctor can perform them right in their office.
Your doctor should already know about these tests, if they stay current with the new research. However, as you may know, most doctors admit they simply don’t have time to read cutting-edge scientific research with their heavy case load. If that’s the case with your doctor, you can always print out a copy of the two sources listed at the bottom of this Dispatch and take them along with you to your visit. (I’d also suggest finding a new doctor who does have the ability to stay current!)
In any case…
If you score well on both tests, you can feel reassured that you’re highly unlikely to develop AD or dementia. On the other hand, if you score poorly on either test, it will give you the time and information you need to make some important changes to your lifestyle and diet.
Fortunately, as I recently reported, there are a number of lifestyle and dietary factors that help you slow—or even reverse—the progress of this devastating disease. In fact, researchers with the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), found that following a dozen drug-free steps resulted in significant, sustained improvements in memory in nine out of 10 people with dementia.
This research is probably the single biggest clinical research breakthrough on nutrition and dementia. And it inspired me to develop my own online learning protocol.
You can learn more about my drug-free, cutting-edge plan to prevent, treat, or even reverse dementia and Alzheimer’s disease in my Complete Alzheimer’s Prevention and Repair Protocol. To learn more about this comprehensive online learning tool or to enroll today, simply click here now!
Sources:
“Smell Test, Brief Cognitive Screen Combo May Help Rule Out Dementia.” Medscape, 11/1/19. (medscape.com/viewarticle/920697)
“Intact global cognitive and olfactory abilities predict lack of transition to dementia.” Alzheimer’s & Dementia, 2019; 15 (7): P1535. doi.org/10.1016/j.jalz.2019.08.112