In a new study from the Queen Mary University of London, researchers developed a new smell test that can be easy to use in patients with Parkinson’s disease, and could also be helpful in diagnosing COVID-19 in the broader population.
Smell tests have the potential to support the diagnosis of certain neurological conditions, including Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.
Unfortunately, these tests are not widely available, expensive, and take too long to administer in routine healthcare settings.
To address this problem, the team developed a novel smell testing kit that uses capsules of aromatic oils placed between two strips of single-sided tape.
To take the smell test, the capsules are simply crushed between the fingers and the tape strip peeled to release the aroma contained within the capsules.
Based on a person’s ability to recognize these smells, a score would be generated that can be sent to their GP if they are experiencing a loss of smell.
The study found that in a small group of eight patients with Parkinson’s disease, the smells from the tests were detectable.
The participants also cited the relative ease process of rupturing the capsules, particularly for those with tremors, compared to the standard scratch and sniff smell test available on the market.
The team says the capsule-based smell test can assist in the rapid diagnostic of various diseases linked to the loss of smell.
These include chronic neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease, as well as COVID-19, which is known to affect the sense of smell.
Being non-invasive and less stressful, the capsule-based smell test has benefits over the nose swab in diagnosing COVID-19.
This is an advantage for testing children in particular, as they are typically horrified if they need to do a nose swab, and the test can be done in the comfort of their own home.
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The study is published in Royal Society Interface. One author of the study is Dr. Ahmed Ismail.
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