Olfaction and thyroid hormones in patients with subjective cognitive decline, non-amnestic and amnestic mild cognitive impairment
Background
Thyroid hormones may affect olfaction in different stages of cognitive impairment: subjective cognitive decline (SCD), non-amnestic (naMCI) and amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI). Additionally, biometric parameters, depression, and neuropsychological performance are considered as possible influencing factors.
Design and patients
A retrospective single-center data analysis was conducted during the observation period 2001–2023, with n = 495 (52.3% female) SCD, naMCI and aMCI subjects, aged ≥50 years, at the General Hospital of Vienna.
Of the study participants, 4.2% had hypothyroidism and 2.4% had hyperthyroidism. The majority exhibited normal thyroid function. One third (33.5%; 95% confidence interval, CI 29.4–37.0%) were hyposmic. The results indicate no substantial association between thyroid and olfactory functions. Increasing age (β = 0.20), lower performance in the Neuropsychological Test Battery Vienna (NTBV) dimensions verbal memory (β = −0.33) and attention (β = −0.12) appear to be risk factors for lower olfaction. A discrepancy between subjective and objective olfaction was found.
Conclusion
Thyroid and olfactory functions had no substantial relationship. Higher fT4 correlated weakly with lower odor identification. Increasing age and decreased performance in two out of six NTBV dimensions are relevant prognostic factors for olfactory dysfunction.
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