The Relationship between Olfaction and Cognition: Implications for Men Aging with HIV
Year: 2019
Type: other
Abstract: Background: Studies demonstrate that olfactory dysfunction may be a prodromal symptom of cognitive decline and dementia. Both advanced age and HIV infection are associated with increase prevalence of olfactory and cognitive decline. This study examined the relationship between olfaction and cognition. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 51 middle-age (Mage = 54.02 years) men living with HIV were recruited from a university HIV/AIDS clinic. Only men were recruited because women in general have better olfactory abilities and have 50% more olfactory cells in their olfactory bulbs. Participants were administered a cognitive performance battery and two objective olfactory measures (i.e., The University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test (UPSIT) & The Smell Threshold Test). The cognitive performance battery was composed of eight normed tests that measured several cognitive abilities (i.e., executive functioning). Results: Olfactory dysfunction was observed in 60.8% of the sample. Positive associations were found between UPSIT normalized scores and total verbal recall (r = .527, p < .01) and delayed verbal recall (r = .510, p < .01); higher/better odor identification was associated with better verbal memory. Smell threshold values had no association with cognition.Discussion: The strongest cognitive associations to UPSIT performance were found on the verbal learning and memory measures. These findings are consistent with previous research in adults without HIV, demonstrating the relationship between decreased olfactory function and poorer performance on memory tasks. Clinically, the use of an olfactory identification test may provide insight on the progression of cognitive impairment in men aging with HIV.
Author: David Vance
Language: English
Subfield: Sensory Systems
Field: Neuroscience
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W4213077333