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Olfactory function is associated with cognitive performance: results from the population-based LIFE-Adult-Study
Maryam Yahiaoui-Doktor1,2, Tobias Luck3,4, Steffi G Riedel-Heller3,5
1Institute for Medical Informatics, Statistics and Epidemiology, University of Leipzig, Haertelstrasse 16-18, 04109, Leipzig, Germany. maryam.yahiaoui@imise.uni-leipzig.de.
Alzheimer'S Research & Therapy
|May 12, 2019
Summary
Better smell identification correlates with improved cognitive function in adults. However, olfactory tests show limited ability to detect cognitive impairment, suggesting further research is needed.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Gerontology
- Psychology
Background:
- Previous studies linked cognitive and olfactory performance in older adults and those with cognitive impairment.
- Population-based studies, especially in younger adults, are scarce regarding this association.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between olfactory performance and cognitive function in a large, population-based sample of adults.
- To assess the utility of olfactory testing in identifying cognitive impairment.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional analysis of the LIFE-Adult-Study dataset.
- Cognitive assessments included verbal fluency (VF), word list learning and recall (WLL, WLR), and Trail Making Tests (TMT A and B) from CERAD.
- Olfactory performance was measured using the Sniffin' Sticks Screening 12 test.
- Linear regression and ROC analyses were performed, adjusting for relevant covariates.
Main Results:
- A total of 6783 participants completed olfaction and VF/TMT tests; 2227 completed WLL/WLR.
- Better olfactory performance (more correctly identified odors) was significantly associated with better performance in all five cognitive tests (VF, WLL, WLR, TMT-A, TMT-B/A ratio).
- Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis indicated limited discriminative ability of olfactory tests for identifying cognitive impairment (AUC values 0.55-0.62).
Conclusions:
- Olfactory performance is positively associated with cognitive function across multiple domains in adults.
- Current olfactory tests have limited value in discriminating between individuals with and without cognitive impairment.
- Longitudinal studies are recommended to explore the potential of olfactory testing for early screening of cognitive decline.
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