According to a recent survey conducted by The Michael J. Fox Foundation, only half of U.S. adults are aware that reduced sense of smell can be a precursor to brain disease. In fact, 96 percent of newly diagnosed Parkinson's disease (PD) patients have lost some ability to smell, a process believeed to begin years before the motor symptoms of Parkinson's appear.

The Parkinson's Progression Markers Initiative study (PPMI) aims to learn more about the link between sense of smell and PD. This study could help researchers detect, and potentially on day treat, PD before motor symptoms appear. PPMI needs 10,000 volunteers - people over the age of 60 who do not have Parkinson's disease - to take an online smell survey at www.michaeljfox.org/takethesmellsurvey.

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