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Olfactory Dysfunction Predicts Subsequent Dementia in Older U.S. Adults.

Dara R Adams1, David W Kern2, Kristen E Wroblewski3

  • 1Section of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois.

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Difficulty identifying odors in older adults doubles their risk of developing dementia within five years. This simple test can help identify individuals at higher risk for early intervention.

Keywords:
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Area of Science:

  • Gerontology
  • Neurology
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Olfactory dysfunction is an early, yet underrecognized, symptom of neurodegenerative diseases.
  • Identifying reliable early markers for dementia is crucial for timely intervention and management.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine the association between olfactory dysfunction and the subsequent diagnosis of dementia in a nationally representative sample of older adults.

Main Methods:

  • A longitudinal study of 2,906 U.S. adults aged 57-85, utilizing data from the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project.
  • Objective odor identification was assessed at baseline using a five-item test; dementia diagnosis was reported five years later.
  • Multivariate logistic regression controlled for age, sex, race, education, comorbidities, and baseline cognition.

Main Results:

  • Older adults with olfactory dysfunction had over twice the odds of a dementia diagnosis within five years (OR=2.13, 95% CI=1.32-3.43).
  • A higher number of odor identification errors correlated with an increased probability of dementia diagnosis (P=.04).

Conclusions:

  • Olfactory dysfunction is an independent risk factor for dementia in community-dwelling older adults with normal baseline cognition.
  • A brief odor identification test is an efficient, low-cost tool for dementia risk assessment in primary care.
  • Early identification via olfactory testing may facilitate interventions to mitigate dementia's public health impact.