TED Talks Daily Why smell matters more than you think | Paule Joseph
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Mar 3, 2025 Paule Joseph, a chemosensory researcher and TED Fellow, explores the often-underappreciated sense of smell. She reveals how this sense profoundly influences our memories and emotions, connecting to the brain's limbic system. Paule discusses its critical role in detecting neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and emphasizes the need for routine smell assessments in healthcare. By advocating for a baseline test for smell and taste, she aims to enhance early disease detection and promote awareness about olfactory health.
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Smells and Memories
- Paule Joseph loves the smell of rain, which reminds her of Venezuela.
- She also connects the smell of crayons to kindergarten and chlorine to time with her kids.
Smell's Importance
- Smell is directly linked to the brain's limbic system, controlling memory and emotions.
- It's a primal sense, warning us of dangers like spoiled food or gas leaks.
Early Diagnosis
- Paule's mother-in-law's overly salty cooking revealed a diminished sense of smell.
- This led to a diagnosis of frontal temporal lobe dementia.