Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Odor threshold, recognition, discrimination and identification in centenarians.

R J.F. Elsner1

  • 1Department of Psychology, University of Georgia, USA

Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics
|July 20, 2001
PubMed
Summary

Olfactory function remains robust in centenarians, showing no decline with age. This suggests olfaction is a promising tool for early disease detection in the oldest adults.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same journal

Reversibility of social frailty in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: A longitudinal analysis of the multicenter observational (T-FLAG) study data.

Archives of gerontology and geriatrics·2026
Same journal

Annual wellness visits, cognitive function, and early dementia diagnosis.

Archives of gerontology and geriatrics·2026
Same journal

Association of visceral adiposity index (VAI) and handgrip strength with incident cardiovascular disease in middle-aged and older adults: a prospective cohort study.

Archives of gerontology and geriatrics·2026
Same journal

Utility of hearing aid use on neurocognitive functions and auditory processing: A systematic review.

Archives of gerontology and geriatrics·2026
Same journal

Oral health-related quality of life and active aging in Korean older adults: A longitudinal panel study with marginal structural model sensitivity analyses.

Archives of gerontology and geriatrics·2026
Same journal

Frailty transitions and incident stroke in older adults: A comparative longitudinal cohort study between China and the UK.

Archives of gerontology and geriatrics·2026

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Gerontology
  • Sensory Science

Background:

  • Olfactory abilities are crucial for quality of life and can be affected by aging.
  • Previous research on aging and olfaction may be confounded by health status.
  • The oldest-old population presents unique challenges for sensory testing.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate olfactory discrimination, identification, and recognition measures in centenarians.
  • To assess the suitability of current olfactory testing methods for the oldest-old.
  • To explore the link between olfactory function and memory systems in centenarians.

Main Methods:

  • Twenty-one centenarians (mean age 105.1 years) underwent olfactory testing.
  • Tests included odor thresholds (phenethyl alcohol, menthol), odor recognition, discrimination, and identification.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Cognitive status was assessed using the Mini Mental State Examination.

    • Main Results:

    • Chronological age was not a significant predictor of olfactory performance.
    • Odor thresholds were better than expected and correlated with odor recognition and response certainty.
    • Mini Mental State Examination scores did not correlate with olfactory measures.

    Conclusions:

    • Olfactory abilities are well-preserved in healthy centenarians, independent of chronological age.
    • Illness and cognitive decline may significantly impact olfactory function in older adults.
    • Olfaction shows potential as a diagnostic biomarker for neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's.