Mind your nose: A randomized controlled trial of olfactory-based memory training for older people with subjective cognitive decline

IF 4.9 Q1 CLINICAL NEUROLOGY

Alzheimer''s and Dementia: Translational Research and Clinical Interventions Pub Date : 2025-07-09 DOI:10.1002/trc2.70120

Isabelle J. M. Burke, Courtney Chesser, Christopher P. K. Brown, Rachel Watkins, Peter Butterworth, Jonas K. Olofsson, Kate Laver, Benjamin M. Hampstead, Alex Bahar-Fuchs

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

Olfactory-based cognitive training may be of benefit to individuals at risk of dementia given the strong association between olfactory impairment and cognitive decline. The Mind Your Nose (MYN) trial compared an olfactory-based memory training protocol (OMT) to a visually-based memory training protocol (VMT) among older adults with subjective cognitive decline.

METHODS

Participants (N = 53; 17 males; M_age= 72.77, standard deviation [SD] = 6.12) were randomly assigned in a 2:1 ratio to daily OMT (n = 36) or VMT (n = 17) intervention for 20 days. Outcomes were evaluated at baseline (T0), post-intervention (T1), and 1-month follow-up (T2) and included standardized measures of global olfaction (Sniffin’ Sticks) and cognition (National Institutes of Health Toolbox), as well as performance on the olfactory memory (OM) and the visual memory (VM) tasks, and measures of mood and meta-cognition.

RESULTS

A significant interaction was found between treatment allocation, time, and modality of memory task at T1(β = −37.50, p = 0.008) and T2(β = −28.75, p = 0.041). Post-hoc comparisons revealed improvement in trained tasks; OMT led to improvement on the OM task (T1; g = 0.71, p = 0.036; T2; g = 0.72, p = 0.035), and VMT led to improvement on the VM task (T1; g = 1.22, p = 0.011; T2; g = 1.29, p = 0.006). Improvement on the untrained memory task only occurred in OMT (VM task, T1; g = 0.63, p = 0.071; T2; g = 0.74, p = 0.033). No interaction between treatment allocation and time was observed post intervention or at follow-up for global olfactory ability (T1; β = 0.27, p = 0.871; T2; β = −1.27, p = 0.296).

DISCUSSION

Consistent with previous research, transfer gains from the OMT condition to an untrained VM task suggest that olfaction may contribute to a-modal representations of memory. We argue that memory-based olfactory training offers a new frontier for cognitive interventions among those at risk of dementia.

Highlights

Relatively few cognitive training programs engage the olfactory sense.
Olfactory memory training offers a new frontier of cognitive training for older adults.
Olfaction may contribute to improved performance on trained and untrained tasks.
The functional impact of olfactory training should be further explored.

Abstract Image

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注意你的鼻子：一项针对主观认知能力下降的老年人嗅觉记忆训练的随机对照试验

基于嗅觉的认知训练可能对有痴呆风险的个体有益，因为嗅觉损伤和认知能力下降之间存在很强的关联。在主观认知能力下降的老年人中，“注意你的鼻子”（MYN）试验比较了基于嗅觉的记忆训练方案（OMT）和基于视觉的记忆训练方案（VMT）。方法参与者(N = 53；17岁男性;Mage = 72.77，标准差[SD] = 6.12)，以2:1的比例随机分配至每日OMT （n = 36）或VMT （n = 17）干预20天。结果在基线（T0）、干预后（T1）和1个月随访（T2）进行评估，包括整体嗅觉（嗅探棒）和认知（美国国立卫生研究院工具箱）的标准化测量，以及嗅觉记忆（OM）和视觉记忆（VM）任务的表现，以及情绪和元认知的测量。结果在T1（β = - 37.50, p = 0.008）和T2（β = - 28.75, p = 0.041）时，记忆任务的处理分配、时间和方式之间存在显著的交互作用。事后比较显示训练任务有所改善；OMT改善了OM任务(T1；G = 0.71, p = 0.036；T2;g = 0.72, p = 0.035)， VMT导致VM任务的改善(T1；G = 1.22, p = 0.011；T2;G = 1.29, p = 0.006)。未训练记忆任务的改善只发生在OMT (VM任务，T1；G = 0.63, p = 0.071；T2;G = 0.74, p = 0.033)。在干预后或随访中，治疗分配和时间之间没有观察到整体嗅觉能力的相互作用(T1；β = 0.27, p = 0.871；T2;β = - 1.27, p = 0.296)。与先前的研究一致，从OMT条件到未经训练的VM任务的转移收益表明嗅觉可能有助于记忆的非模态表征。我们认为，基于记忆的嗅觉训练为痴呆症风险人群的认知干预提供了一个新的前沿。相对较少的认知训练项目涉及嗅觉。嗅觉记忆训练为老年人的认知训练提供了一个新的前沿。嗅觉可能有助于提高训练和非训练任务的表现。嗅觉训练对功能的影响有待进一步探讨。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Alzheimer''s and Dementia: Translational Research and Clinical Interventions Medicine-Psychiatry and Mental Health

CiteScore

10.10

自引率

2.10%

发文量

134

审稿时长

10 weeks

期刊介绍： Alzheimer''s & Dementia: Translational Research & Clinical Interventions (TRCI) is a peer-reviewed, open access,journal from the Alzheimer''s Association®. The journal seeks to bridge the full scope of explorations between basic research on drug discovery and clinical studies, validating putative therapies for aging-related chronic brain conditions that affect cognition, motor functions, and other behavioral or clinical symptoms associated with all forms dementia and Alzheimer''s disease. The journal will publish findings from diverse domains of research and disciplines to accelerate the conversion of abstract facts into practical knowledge: specifically, to translate what is learned at the bench into bedside applications. The journal seeks to publish articles that go beyond a singular emphasis on either basic drug discovery research or clinical research. Rather, an important theme of articles will be the linkages between and among the various discrete steps in the complex continuum of therapy development. For rapid communication among a multidisciplinary research audience involving the range of therapeutic interventions, TRCI will consider only original contributions that include feature length research articles, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, brief reports, narrative reviews, commentaries, letters, perspectives, and research news that would advance wide range of interventions to ameliorate symptoms or alter the progression of chronic neurocognitive disorders such as dementia and Alzheimer''s disease. The journal will publish on topics related to medicine, geriatrics, neuroscience, neurophysiology, neurology, psychiatry, clinical psychology, bioinformatics, pharmaco-genetics, regulatory issues, health economics, pharmacoeconomics, and public health policy as these apply to preclinical and clinical research on therapeutics.