Loss of smell (hyposmia) turned out to be a symptom of an incurable disease – Parkinson’s disease. People with this diagnosis indicated that their sense of smell changed several years before the onset of the disease, reports Express, citing data from the Parkinson Foundation.
It is noted that up to 90 percent of people with this disease do not feel odors. In some cases, the loss of smell can occur ten years before the diagnosis is made. In this case, the phase of the disease before the onset of motor symptoms lasts about five years or more. Therefore, hyposmia can potentially help identify the disease at an early stage.
Parkinson’s disease is a slowly progressive disease of the central nervous system, typical for older people. Its typical manifestations are movement disorders, muscle rigidity and resting tremor.