Olfaction as a Marker of Cognitive Impairment in Older Veterans. (2nd January 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Freimer, Daniel; Peltz, Carrie; Kaup, Allison; Xia, Feng; Yaffe, Kristine
• Is Part Of: Military behavioral health. Volume 7:Number 1(2019)
• Page Start: 118
• Page End: 123
• Publication Date: 2019-01-02
• Subjects: Cognition -- other < sensory functions -- successful aging -- veterans -- cognitive assessment < assessment; Military psychiatry -- Periodicals; Combat -- Psychological aspects -- Periodicals; 355.345
• DOI: 10.1080/21635781.2019.1580639
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2163-5781

Abstract

Abstract: Olfactory testing may be an effective marker for cognitive impairment (CI) and dementia, but no studies have explored this association in older veterans, a vulnerable group with a high burden of chronic conditions. Independently living older veterans ( n = 59) completed a neuropsychological battery—assessing three cognitive domains: learning/memory, language, and executive function—and an olfactory identification (OI) assessment. Lower OI performance was significantly associated with worse memory and executive function ( p for trend = 0.03 and .05) after adjusting for age, education, smoking, and TBI history. Among older veterans, these results suggest that olfactory dysfunction may be a useful marker of CI.