Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 12, 2025
10:42
A Free-breathing fMRI Method to Study Human Olfactory Function
Published on: July 30, 2017
9.7K
Olfaction and declarative memory in aging: a meta-analysis
Benoît Jobin1,2,3, Frédérique Roy-Côté4, Johannes Frasnelli2,5
1Department of Psychology, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, QC, Canada.
Chemical Senses
|October 25, 2023
Summary
Older adults
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Gerontology
- Cognitive Psychology
Background:
- Olfactory and declarative memory decline in older adults, involving overlapping brain structures.
- The link between olfactory detection and declarative memory requires further investigation.
Approach:
- A meta-analysis examined the association between olfactory identification/detection and verbal declarative memory in healthy older adults.
- Included 17 studies assessing episodic or semantic memory and olfactory function.
Key Points:
- Olfactory identification correlated with episodic and semantic memory.
- Olfactory detection threshold also associated with episodic and semantic memory.
- Age moderated the olfactory detection threshold-memory relationship.
Conclusions:
- Both olfactory identification and detection are linked to declarative memory in older adults.
- Age specifically influences the olfactory detection threshold's association with memory.
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