Scratch and smell test helps detect mental illnesses
University of Melbourne researchers have identified a ‘scratch and smell’ test that aids the early detection of some mental illnesses.
The test uses 40 different cards loaded with scents such as coffee, roses, bleach and whisky to diagnose disorders including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, schizophrenia and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Associate Professor Warwick Brewer says the test can help experts identify degenerative disorders in older patients before symptoms appear.
Neuroscience has long known that the olfactory senses are wired to the frontal lobe — the same part of the brain that controls problem solving and emotional responses.
But the Melbourne team is the first to prove that a person’s sense of smell can become impaired before neurological symptoms appear.
