The olfactory nerve is also the only part of the nervous system exposed to open air. Therefore, it allows poisons and pathogens to enter the brain more quickly, so loss of smell can be an early warning of something that will eventually lead to death.
Pinto and his colleagues did not examine the actual cause of death in the 430 participants, but said the information is important for further research into the link. The 3-minute smell test they used is less reliable than long-term clinical assessments, so they believe the link may be even stronger than their results suggest. They don’t know if the results apply to younger people, but if they do further testing, they may be able to quickly identify older people who are at risk.
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