Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38881614›Full record

ArticleInnovation in aging2024

Aging and Olfactory Training: A Scoping Review.

Megan Loughnane, Victoria Tischler, Reem Khalid Saifeldeen, Emily Kontaris

Abstract readScoping Review
In one paragraph

Article in Innovation in aging, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Olfactory Dysfunction and Cognitive Decline: Are They Related?Current allergy and asthma reports · 2025
    Review
  3. Intrinsic capacity in Lewy body dementia: a review.The Journal of frailty & aging · 2025
    Review
  4. Article
  5. Review
  6. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Megan LoughnaneSchool of Psychology, University of Surrey, Guildford, UK.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0006-6714-5759
Victoria TischlerSchool of Psychology, University of Surrey, Guildford, UK.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0086-1906
Reem Khalid SaifeldeenSchool of Psychology, University of Surrey, Guildford, UK.
Emily KontarisHealth and Well-Being Centre of Excellence, Givaudan UK Limited, Ashford, UK.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0005-0640-043X

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Decreased olfactory function commonly occurs alongside the aging process. Research suggests olfactory training (OT) has the potential to improve olfactory and cognitive function in individuals with and without olfactory dysfunction. The degree to which these benefits extend into older age and among those with cognitive impairment (i.e., people with dementia and mild cognitive impairment) is less clear. The purpose of the current review was to investigate the extent to which OT affects olfactory function, cognition, and well-being among older people. Research Design and Methods: A scoping review of the literature was conducted in PubMed, Embase, EbscoHost, and SCOPUS. Articles were considered eligible for original research studies with human populations, included adults aged 55 and older, performed any type of OT, and included a form of olfactory testing. The data from the included studies were synthesized and presented narratively. Results: A total of 23 studies were included. The results suggest that OT provides multiple benefits to older adults, including those with cognitive impairment. Particularly, OT was associated with measurable changes in olfactory function, improved cognitive function, specifically semantic verbal fluency and working memory, reduced depressive symptoms, and protection from cognitive decline. Discussion and Implications: The findings suggest that benefits from OT extend beyond changes in olfactory function and include improved cognitive function, amelioration of depressive symptoms, and protection from cognitive decline. Future research is needed across specific participant groups, including those with differentiated types of dementia, to investigate the olfactory and cognitive benefits of OT.

Indexed as

CognitionOlfactionSmell trainingWell-being

Identifiers

PMID38881614
PMCPMC11176978

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.