A few months ago, the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences published a study that indicates that an inability to identify specific smells can be a predictor of brain injury. The study, “led by Air Force Colonel (Dr.) Michael Xydakis, associate professor of Surgery in the F. Edward Hebert School of Medicine at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU), and his colleagues from USU, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, and the National Institutes of Health, found that testing the sense of smell can be used to assess memory impairment following trauma.”
As part of their research, the team studied over 200 patients at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center who had been airlifted out of combat zones. After the patients were evaluated for traumatic brain injury, researchers administered the University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test (UPSIT) to each patient. The study found that “decreased ability to identify specific odors can predict abnormal neuroimaging results in blast-injured troops.”
In other words, troops who have lost their ability to smell are more likely to have a TBI.
What is the UPSIT?
The UPSIT was developed in 1984, and is the most reliable test of its kind. The test consists of a scratch-and-sniff booklet containing 40 questions. Because of the complexity of the human olfactory system, the results can accurately predict neurological conditions like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. It appears that the ability of UPSIT to detect these conditions makes it uniquely suited to diagnosis traumatic brain injuries in quick and cost-effective way.
The ability to diagnose brain injuries with the UPSIT is good news all around. The study was funded by the Department of Defense, and the results will help our troops in combat as well as our friends at home. With a reliable test in booklet form, troops on the front will get the help they need, and a low-cost diagnostic tool like the UPSIT can help prevent costlier means of diagnosing brain damage.
This development provides the latest tool for doctors to accurately assess brain damage. Not long ago, a different team of researchers developed a low-cost headset that used eye-tracking software to diagnose concussions. These low-cost solutions allow implementation everywhere, from the front lines of our troops to the sidelines of a football game.
As our ability to detect and treat brain injuries increases, the likelihood of permanent damage decreases. However, traumatic brain injuries still cause needless suffering every day. If you or someone you know has suffered a traumatic brain injury, please contact us for a free consultation.
