The relationship between cognitive aging and olfactory ability: comparing young, middle-aged, and older adults in odor identification ability
Published:
Dec 23, 2015
Keywords:
Executive functions Age Olfaction
Abstract
The present study aimed at investigating the relationship between cognitive aging and olfactory ability. The sample consisted of 75 persons, aged 20-90 years old, equally distributed to three age-groups: the “Young adults” (20-28 years old), the “Middle-aged adults” (48-58 years old) and the “Older adults” (75-90 years old). All the participants were administered tests measuring executive functions, a test examining working memory, and the Odor Identification Test (OIT) designed and developed for the purposes of the present study. The results showed that cognitive aging is negatively associated with olfactory ability. Specifically, it was found that older adults’ odor identification ability is significantly lower, compared to young and middle-aged adults. Moreover, advancing age was found to be associated with a decline of higher-order cognitive functions, and these functions are associated with odor identification ability. Nevertheless, it is worth noting that educational level is a confounding variable as regards the aforementioned relationships
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Κουκλίδου Β., Σφακιανάκη Ο., Μωραΐτου Δ., Παπαντωνίου Γ., & Μασούρα Ε. (2015). The relationship between cognitive aging and olfactory ability: comparing young, middle-aged, and older adults in odor identification ability. Journal of Research in Education and Training, 8, 1–38. https://doi.org/10.12681/jret.8785
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