One scent that may ease symptoms of Alzheimer's disease, study suggests

What if the cure for Alzheimer's was the smell of mint? A study by scientists from the Cima Universidad de Navarra in Spain found that sniffing menthol, which is in different types of mint, can regulate the immune system and improve brain function in animals with Alzheimer's.

This new discovery could open doors to fresh treatments that use scent for reversing the effects of Alzheimer's. It's is the most common form of dementia globally that affects millions.

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Minty Fresh menthol may be key to cure for Alzheimer’s

Helps with pain relief (Image via Pexels/Icon)

Menthol is that minty substance found in cigarettes, vapes and topical pain relievers.

Menthol isn't just for cigarettes and pain relievers. It's an organic compound that can come from corn mint, peppermint, other mints or can be made in a lab. It's like a waxy, crystal-like stuff that can be clear or white, solid when it's not too hot, but melts when it gets warmer.

Menthol has a distinct minty smell and produces a cooling sensation when applied to the skin or ingested. It's in cough and cold stuff, digestive meds, cosmetics, personal care products and even some foods and drinks.

It makes your skin feel all tingly because it activates those cold-sensitive things called thermoreceptors. However, don't assume that it will drop your body temperature.

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Connection between immune cells, smell and Alzheimer’s

Reduces inflammation in the brain (Image via Unsplash/ NCI)

The Spanish scientists found out that just a whiff of menthol can prevent brain decline, a sign of Alzheimer's.

They found that this scent lowers interleukin-1-beta (IL-1β), a protein tied to inflammation. Blocking IL-1β in mice with Alzheimer's improved their thinking skills.

The brain needs nerve cells, immune cells and neural stem cells to work right. It's wild, but smells do mess with the brain. When you can't smell, that's usually one of the early signs of Alzhiemer.

Dr. Juan José Lasarte, the director of Immunology and Immunotherapy, was shocked when he found that even a little menthol for six months stopped brain problems in mice with Alzheimer's and made young mice think better, too.

Apart from the effect on IL-1β, the study also found that blocking the activity of T regulatory cells, a type of immune cell, also led to improved cognitive performance in mice with Alzheimer's. This intervention also showed benefits for younger, healthy mice.

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An approach to combat Alzheimer's disease – from animal studies to human potential

Link between smell and Alzheimer (Image via Unsplash/Alexander Grey)

Dr. Ana García-Osta, one of the people behind the study, said that both menthol and stopping T regulatory cells lowered IL-1β.

This protein could be what makes your brain slow down with Alzheimer's. Dr. Noelia Casares, who led the study, said that we need to learn more about how the immune system, central nervous system and smell all connect.

This study shows that smells and immune stuff might be key to fighting Alzheimer's.

This study was on animals, but it's still important. It makes us hopeful that we could use smells to help people with Alzheimer's think better.

Millions all over the world are plagued by the disease, so any new way to treat it is huge. Using menthol to help the immune system and thinking skills could change the game in Alzheimer's research.

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So to wrap things up, it looks like menthol could be the cure for Alzheimer's or at least make it easier to deal with.

This new piece of knowledge means that we could use smells to make Alzheimer's better, but there's still more to disocver in this field. The aforementioned study gives us a little hope for both researchers and people affected by this serious disease.