Scientists examine how former nurse can sniff out signs of Parkinson’s
For centuries, doctors have used their sense of smell to detect and diagnose ailments.
Ancient Greek physician Hippocrates even recommended sniffing body odour and armpits to identify disease and illness.
The simple process of smelling a patient can also reveal a number of issues, including the smell of ammonia in the mouth often indicating kidney failure, diabetic ketosis giving off the scent of decomposing apples, and typhoid making the body smell like baked bread.
However, it’s only in the last decade that experts have started to understand how sniffing can lead to diagnosis.
Viruses, bacteria, diseases and illness cause chemical and hormonal secretions within the body to change, generating an odour difference that can then recognised by both canines and humans.
And although most humans cannot identify very subtle changes, one woman is able to detect Parkinson’s disease based purely on smell, often diagnosing patients before symptoms surface.
Former nurse Joy Milne, from Perthshire, first noticed a “musky” smell on her husband Les, who was later diagnosed with Parkinson’s, and came to the attention of researchers after observing the same smell at a charity event where more sufferers were present.
Working with Joy, researchers in Manchester have been able to identify molecules on the skin that cause the scent.
Compounds, including hippuric acid, eicosane and octadecanal, are found in higher concentrations than usual in the sebum on the skin of Parkinson’s patients.
Prof Perdita Barran, from University of Manchester, said: “We found some compounds that are more present in people who have Parkinson’s and we discovered them because Joy could smell a difference.”