When it comes to the early detection of Alzheimer’s disease, a new study suggests that the nose knows.

Mass General Brigham neurology researchers have created a smell test that shows promise as a tool for identifying risk of cognitive impairment.

They found that test participants could successfully take the test at home, and that older adults with cognitive impairment scored lower on the test than cognitively normal adults.

Their study on the test could help identify people who are at risk of Alzheimer’s, and help physicians intervene before serious symptoms set in.

“Early detection of cognitive impairment could help us identify people who are at risk of Alzheimer’s disease and intervene years before memory symptoms begin,” said senior author Mark Albers, of the Laboratory of Olfactory Neurotranslation, the McCance Center for Brain Health, and Department of Neurology at Massachusetts General Hospital.

“Our goal has been to develop and validate a cost-effective, non-invasive test that can be performed at home, helping to set the stage for advancing research and treatment for Alzheimer’s,” Albers added.

Early symptoms for Alzheimer’s disease typically appear after age 60, and the risk increases with age.

The researchers’ olfactory tests — which involve participants peeling and then sniffing odors on a card — assess people’s ability to identify and remember odors.

Albers and colleagues are interested in whether olfactory dysfunction — the sometimes-subtle loss of sense of smell — can serve as an early warning sign for neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, chronic traumatic encephalopathy, and traumatic brain injury.

Albers helped found a company that makes the Aromha Brain Health Test, the test used by the research team to conduct this study.

To evaluate the olfactory test, the team recruited English and Spanish speaking participants who had self-reported concerns about memory, or those with mild cognitive impairment.

The researchers compared these participants’ test results with those who had no sense of smell and with cognitively normal individuals.

The research team found that odor identification, memory, and discrimination declined with age. They also found that older adults with mild cognitive impairment had lower scores for odor discrimination and identification compared with older adults who were cognitively normal.

Overall, the researchers found that test results were similar across English and Spanish speakers, and participants performed the test equally successfully regardless of whether they were observed by a research assistant.

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The authors noted that future studies could incorporate neuropsychological testing and could follow patients over time to see if the tool can predict cognitive decline.

“Our results suggest that olfactory testing could be used in clinical research settings in different languages and among older adults to predict neurodegenerative disease and development of clinical symptoms,” Albers said.

The number of people living with Alzheimer’s is projected to double from 6.9 million in 2020 to nearly 14 million people by 2060.

Alzheimer’s disease is a top 10 leading cause of death in the U.S.

In 2022, it was the seventh leading cause of death among U.S. adults, and the sixth leading cause of death among adults 65-plus. The actual number of older people who die from Alzheimer’s may be much higher than what is officially recorded. Alzheimer’s and other types of dementia are not always reported on death certificates.

Meanwhile at Mass General Brigham, researchers in a different study showed that a nasal spray being tested for use in preventing Alzheimer’s disease could also reduce neuroinflammation in traumatic brain injury.

Foralumab, a nasal spray originally developed to treat multiple sclerosis and used by MGB physicians for Alzheimer’s treatment under FDA compassionate use protocols, was tested in mouse models with moderate to severe traumatic brain injury.

The researchers found that Foralumab induces immune cells to travel up to the brain and come in contact with microglial cells, the cells that regulate brain development and injury repair, to reduce inflammation in the brain.

The study results show that the spray could reduce damage to the central nervous system and behavioral deficits, suggesting a potential therapeutic approach for TBI and other acute forms of brain injury.

“This opens up a whole new area of research and treatment in traumatic brain injury, something that’s almost impossible to treat,” said senior author Howard Weiner, co-director of the Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. “It also means this could work in intracerebral hemorrhage and other stroke patients with brain injury.”

By ALI SWENSON and CHRISTINE FERNANDO

PEWAUKEE, Wis. (AP) — As the first news outlets began calling the Wisconsin Supreme Court election for the liberal candidate Susan Crawford, her opponent called her — to concede.

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Minutes later Tuesday night, the conservative-backed Brad Schimel took the stage at his watch party to acknowledge the loss. Angry yells broke out. One woman began to chant about his opponent: “Cheater.”

Schimel didn’t hesitate. “No,” he responded. “You’ve got to accept the results.” Later, he returned to the stage with his classic rock cover band to jam on his bass.

In any other American era, Schimel’s concession wouldn’t be considered unusual – except maybe the guitar part. But it stands out at a time when the nation’s politics have opened a fissure between those who trust election results and those who don’t.

“It shouldn’t be super laudable,” said Jeff Mandel, general counsel of the Madison-based liberal law firm Law Forward. “But given where we are and given what we’ve seen over the past few years nationwide and in Wisconsin, it is laudable.”

Accusations of cheating are common now

Over the past several years, numerous Republicans — and some Democrats — have lobbed unfounded accusations of voter fraud, harassed election officials and pointed to “irregularities” to dispute their election losses. President Donald Trump led that movement in 2020, when he filed lawsuits in battleground states, including one thrown out by the Wisconsin Supreme Court, seeking to overturn his loss to Democrat Joe Biden.

Schimel’s concession of that very same court to a liberal majority, though in line with what generations of candidates have done in the past, was not a given in today’s divisive atmosphere.

Onstage, as his supporters yelled, Schimel shook his head and left no uncertainty he’d lost — a result that would become even clearer later in the night as Crawford’s lead grew to around 10 percentage points.

“The numbers aren’t going to — aren’t going to turn around,” he told the crowd. “They’re too bad, and we’re not going to pull this off.”

By acknowledging his loss quickly, Schimel curtailed the kind of explanation-seeking and digital digging that erupted online after Trump, a Republican, lost the 2020 presidential election, with citizen journalists falsely accusing innocent election workers and voters of fraud.

Schimel also avoided the impulses to which many in his party have defaulted in recent elections across the country, as they’ve dragged their feet to avoid accepting defeat.

Wisconsin Supreme Court candidate Brad Schimel makes his concession speech to a crowd at his election night party Tuesday, April 1, 2025, in Pewaukee, Wis. (AP Photo/Andy Manis)

Last fall, Wisconsin Republican Eric Hovde spent days sowing doubt in the results after he lost a Senate race to Democrat Tammy Baldwin. He conceded nearly two weeks after Election Day, saying he did not want to “add to political strife through a contentious recount” even as he raised debunked election conspiracies.

In a 2024 state Supreme Court race in North Carolina, two recounts have affirmed Democrat Allison Riggs narrowly won the election, but her Republican opponent, Jefferson Griffin, is still seeking to reverse the outcome by having ballots thrown out.

Trump also has continued to falsely claim he won the 2020 presidential election, even though there was no evidence of widespread fraud and the results were confirmed through multiple recounts, reviews and audits. His close adviser, billionaire Elon Musk, has also spread a flurry of unfounded claims about voter fraud involving noncitizens.

Musk and his affiliated groups sank at least $21 million into the Wisconsin Supreme Court race, and he personally paid three voters $1 million each for signing a petition to boost turnout. He had said the race was central to the “future of America and Western civilization.”

But after the results came in, he said he “expected to lose” and touted the successful passage of a voter ID amendment in Wisconsin’s Constitution. Trump, who had endorsed Schimel, didn’t post about the loss but used his Truth Social platform to celebrate the voter ID win.

An assessment: ‘That’s democracy’

Not all Republicans watching the race were in a magnanimous mood as they processed the results. Peter Bernegger, the head of an election integrity organization who has brought numerous lawsuits against Wisconsin election clerks and offices, raised the specter that an “algorithm” was behind Crawford’s win. InfoWars founder and conspiracy theorist Alex Jones reacted to the results on X, saying, “Election fraud should be investigated.”

But at Schimel’s watch party, several supporters applauded his high road.

“He was all class,” said Russell Jones, a 51-year-old attorney. “That’s how you lose.”

Wisconsin Supreme Court candidate Brad Schimel talks with supporters after making his concession speech Tuesday, April 1, 2025, in Pewaukee, Wis. (AP Photo/Andy Manis)

Adam Manka, of the La Crosse County Republican Party, said he worries about how a liberal court could redraw the state’s congressional districts. “But you can’t exactly change it,” Manka said, calling Schimel “very graceful” in his defeat. “This is democracy.”

The moment is a good example for future candidates, said Ari Mittleman, executive director of the Wisconsin-based nonprofit Keep Our Republic, which aims to rebuild trust and confidence in elections. He compared elections to a Green Bay Packers football game: “We know who won, we know who lost.” He said he thinks Schimel, a lifelong Wisconsinite, understands that.

“It’s transparent, and we accept the final score,” Mittleman said. “That’s democracy.”

Schimel and his band, performing for a thinning crowd Tuesday night, took the loss in stride.

“Can you ask them at the bar to get me a Coors Light please?” Schimel said between songs. “Put it on my tab.”

Associated Press writer Scott Bauer contributed from Madison, Wis. Swenson reported from New York. The Associated Press receives support from several private foundations to enhance its explanatory coverage of elections and democracy. See more about the AP’s democracy initiative here. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

By LOLITA C. BALDOR

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Army has released the identity of the fourth soldier who died in a training accident in Lithuania, a day after his body was recovered during a weeklong search that took hundreds of troops and other rescue workers from three nations.

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The 3rd Infantry Division said Wednesday the soldier was Staff Sgt. Troy S. Knutson-Collins, 28, of Battle Creek, Michigan. It said Knutson-Collins and two of the other soldiers who died have been posthumously promoted to the rank of staff sergeant.

The other two sergeants who were promoted were Jose Duenez Jr., 25, of Joliet, Illinois, and Edvin F. Franco, 25, of Glendale, California. The other soldier who died was Pfc. Dante D. Taitano, 21, of Dededo, Guam.

Their three bodies were recovered on Monday after U.S., Polish and Lithuanian armed forces and other rescuers dug their M88 Hercules vehicle out of a peat bog at the expansive Gen. Silvestras Žukauskas training ground in the town of Pabradė, 6 miles west of the border with Belarus.

All four soldiers were part of the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, and were on a tactical training exercise when they and their vehicle were reported missing on March 25, the Army said. The 63-ton armored vehicle was discovered the following day submerged in 15 feet (4.5 meters) of water. It took days to pull it out of the bog.

Knutson-Collins, an artillery mechanic, had served in the Army for more than seven years and was assigned to 1st Battalion, 41st Field Artillery Regiment. He deployed to Korea in 2020.

“Words cannot express how deeply this loss is felt by everyone in our unit,” said Capt. Jackson Patillo, a commander in the 1st Battalion. “Staff Sgt. Troy Collins was an exceptional friend to all of us and an irreplaceable member to our entire Fox family that we will truly miss.”

There will be a formal dignified departure ceremony for the soldiers on Thursday in Vilnius, the capital, which is expected to include top Lithuanian officials and military leaders. They will eventually be transported to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware.

By Sara Rathner, Kimberly Palmer, NerdWallet

The first three months of 2025 have been a lot. Tariff threats, cuts to federal jobs, and still-high prices for food, gas and housing have shaken consumer confidence.

If you started the year hopeful but now feel anxious, channel those negative emotions into action. Spring is the perfect time to open some windows, plant some flowers and freshen up the money goals you set at the start of the year.

Here are some things to focus on.

1. Review your spending

Your spending habits may have fluctuated wildly over the past few years. According to the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, travel, hotel, restaurant and bar spending fell during the pandemic, while grocery and beverage store spending went up. Then, post-COVID revenge spending kicked in as people went out and traveled once again.

Now, you may be tightening your belt once more. Consumer spending went down in January 2025, according to data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis. “I think people are slowing down on spending right now to see how things shake out with the new administration,” Shea Newton, a certified financial planner and president of Financial Journey in Pensacola, Florida, said in an email.

» MORE: How to create a spending plan

2. Find easy cuts

Recurring expenses silently cost you money in the background, so they’re all potential budget items to review. If you haven’t watched shows on a particular streaming service in a while, cancel your subscription and see whether you actually miss it. If another cell phone company provides similar coverage at a lower price, look into switching.

Even credit cards, especially those that charge annual fees, warrant a periodic look. As your spending patterns change, consider a new credit card that better maximizes your current lifestyle. Curtis Bailey, certified financial planner and founder of Quiet Wealth Management in Cincinnati, suggests first logging into your credit card accounts and pulling up a summary of last year’s spending, as well as the rewards that you earned.

Did you maximize your reward-earning potential and redeem those rewards in valuable ways? If not, it might be time to apply for a new card, he says.

3. Check in on financial goals

Your priorities can significantly shift, even from one month to the next. “Finances is one of those things where there’s always 12 decisions to be made at one given time,” says Andrew Mitchell, a financial advisor at Fiduciary Financial Advisors in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

For big financial goals, Mitchell recommends moving beyond the here and now and thinking about what you might need or want in a few years. “If you’re thinking far enough into the future and preparing, even in a scenario where there’s these big things going on, you have cash on hand to be able to deal with those situations,” he says.

» LISTEN: NerdWallet’s Smart Money podcast: How to set goals you can actually achieve

4. Ensure adequate insurance coverage

Natural disasters affected residents of multiple states in the past year, many of whom are still dealing with the resulting costs. Noah Damsky, founder and wealth advisor at Marina Wealth Advisors in Los Angeles, suggests you review your homeowners insurance policy at least every few years. The increased cost of labor and building materials can make it significantly more expensive to repair or rebuild your home.

Damsky, who bought his home in 2020, recently revisited his insurance policy. “I’m just a few miles away from where the wildfires were in L.A.,” he says.

Shop around to see whether other insurance providers can offer you similar or better coverage for a lower cost. And if you’ve acquired any luxury items in the past few years, such as jewelry or art, make sure you have policies in place that would cover those things, too.

» MORE: NerdWallet’s guide to homeowners insurance

Kimberly Palmer writes for NerdWallet. Email: kpalmer@nerdwallet.com. Twitter: @kimberlypalmer.

The article 4 Steps to Take Toward Financial Spring Cleaning originally appeared on NerdWallet.