The signs of dementia to look out for in the bathroom

An early indicator of Alzheimer's disease could help doctors diagnose it more quickly, according to one study.

Currently, there is no cure for the debilitating disease, however, an early diagnosis can make huge improvements in slowing down the progression of it and reducing its impact. While memory loss is a very common association with Alzheimer's, the University of Chicago found that a significant reduction in one's sense of smell could be an early warning sign.

This symptom could even be used to help identify the disease in its earliest stages. In fact, the symptom can be noticed when someone is taking a shower or bath, the Express reports.

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Researchers looked at the sense of smell in 515 older adults in the hopes of developing a smell-test screening such as those for sight and hearing. They suggested that such tests could be used to encourage people to stay on top of potential warning signs of Alzheimer's.

Senior author Jayant M Pinto, professor of surgery at the University of Chicago who studies olfactory and sinus disease, said: "This study provides another clue to how a rapid decline in the sense of smell is a really good indicator of what's going to end up structurally occurring in specific regions of the brain.

"We were able to show that the volume and shape of grey matter in olfactory and memory-associated areas of the brains of people with rapid decline in their sense of smell were smaller compared to people who had less severe olfactory decline."

Research indicates that more than 944,000 people