Correlational study of the ability to identify odors and cognitive functions in individuals aged 50-65

Background and Aim : Evidence suggests that olfactory sensation is one of the first symptoms to occur in Alzheimer s disease even years before other symptoms occur. However, the mechanisms and relationships of olfactory sense with other cognitive abilities and capacities have not been elucidated. Therefore, by assessing cognitive abilities such as attention, working memory and processing speed, as well as assessing people s quality of life in the community of people entering retirement age, due to the greater likelihood of cognitive and olfactory deficits in these individuals, In this study we investigated the correlation between the olfactory ability of individuals and some of the most important cognitive abilities.Methods : In this study, each subject was assessed in one session by validated neuropsychological tests and the University of Pennsylvania Odor Test. In this pilot study, 14 subjects were used as the sample. Assessment tools used in this study include neuropsychological tests to measure cognitive abilities including PASAT, Rehacom Selective Attention Screening, Rehacom Divided Attention Screening, Rehacom Alertness Screening, Digit Span Test, and Symbol to Digit Modality Task. , CANTAB Stop Signal Test, MOCA, IVA-2, Vienna Corsi-Block Test and psychological tests such as Beck Depression Inventory-2 and General Health Questionnaire and UPSIT.Results : The results of statistical analyses show that individuals scores in olfactory recognition correlated with cognitive abilities such as auditory working memory, sustained attention, verbal fluency, and naming ability.Conclusion : This study aimed to investigate and analyze the scores of individuals in detecting and naming odors and comparing them with cognitive abilities such as attention, working memory and processing speed, in particular, analyzes of the relationship and correlation of age and function. Cognitive and olfactory as well as correlations between cognitive tests were studied. According to the results of this study, it seems that individuals ability to identify odors by their scores in PASAT Working Memory Test, MoCA Cognitive Assessment Test in Verbal fluency and Ability to name Subtests, and IVA- 2, there was a significant correlation.

کلیدواژه ها:

Olfactory System ، Attention ، Working Memory ، Processing Speed