Lower odor identification in subjective cognitive decline: a meta-analysis

Odor identification correlates with Alzheimer's disease (AD) biomarkers, and its decline may emerge before measurable cognitive deficits - as early as the subjective cognitive decline (SCD) stage. We aimed to compare odor identification between SCD and cognitively normal (CN) stages.

A systematic search of four databases identified studies assessing olfactory identification and cognitive screening in individuals aged 50+. A random-effects meta-analysis was performed on 11 studies (660 SCD, 574 CN).

Individuals with SCD exhibited lower olfactory identification scores compared to CN participants (SMD = -0.67, 95% CI [-1.31, -0.03], p = 0.04). Meta-regression revealed a negative association (β = -1.79, p = 0.02) between cognitive and olfactory differences; lower olfactory identification scores in SCD occurred despite minimal cognitive differences across groups.

Odor identification is lower in pre-mild cognitive impairment individuals reporting SCD. Olfactory decline may emerge prior to measurable general cognitive decline, supporting its role as a screen for AD.

Individuals with SCD exhibit lower odor identification scores.Olfactory identification may serve as an early marker of neurodegeneration in preclinical AD.Heterogeneity highlights the need for multimodal biomarker approaches.