A diminished sense of smell is a secondary symptom of Parkinson’s disease that a lot of people with the condition experience. According to medical professionals, this is a result of the changes in your brain’s olfactory bulb. This is the main part of your brain that relays smell signals.

The condition is known as hyposmia that typically happens before more obvious symptoms manifest. What the majority of patients don’t realize is what they’re undergoing is a reduced sense of smell. Hence, they tend to dismiss it. However, researchers are now aware that this symptom is prevalent and occurs in over 90% of individuals with Parkinson’s during its early stages.