Olfactory-evoked potentials: assessment of young and elderly, and comparison to psychophysical threshold

Olfactory-evoked potentials (OEPs) were recorded monopolarly at the Fz, Cz and Pz electrode sites in young adults and elderly subjects with an amyl acetate stimulus presented olfactometrically. Psychophysical odor thresholds for amyl acetate were determined using a two-alternative, forced-choice detection procedure. These demonstrated a decreased odor detection sensitivity in the elderly relative to tye young subjects. In accordance with the threshold findings, elderly subjects produced significantly smaller N1 and P2 amplitudes, and a trend towards longer latencies than younger subjects. Moreover, odor threshold was found to correlate with amplitude magnitude. The OEP findings, which are discussed in the context of previous OEP studies, offer promise as an objective, non-invasive measure of sensory function in both clinical and non-clinical settings.