Odor identification and progression to dementia: The role of odor characteristics and set size

Abstract INTRODUCTION We evaluated short versions of a 16‐item odor identification (OID) test, with regard to their ability to identify individuals at high dementia risk. METHODS Participants from the population‐based SNAC‐K study (n = 2418) were followed across 12 years. We formed 13 abbreviated cl...

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Main Authors: Eva Dickmänken, Maria Larsson, Ingrid Ekström, Jonas Olofsson, Giulia Grande, Debora Rizzuto, Erika J. Laukka
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2024-10-01
Series:Alzheimer’s & Dementia: Diagnosis, Assessment & Disease Monitoring
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/dad2.70035
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author Eva Dickmänken
Maria Larsson
Ingrid Ekström
Jonas Olofsson
Giulia Grande
Debora Rizzuto
Erika J. Laukka
author_facet Eva Dickmänken
Maria Larsson
Ingrid Ekström
Jonas Olofsson
Giulia Grande
Debora Rizzuto
Erika J. Laukka
author_sort Eva Dickmänken
collection DOAJ
description Abstract INTRODUCTION We evaluated short versions of a 16‐item odor identification (OID) test, with regard to their ability to identify individuals at high dementia risk. METHODS Participants from the population‐based SNAC‐K study (n = 2418) were followed across 12 years. We formed 13 abbreviated clusters based on the identifiability and perceptual characteristics of the Sniffin’ Sticks Test (SST) items, and pre‐existing test versions. Dementia hazard was estimated with Cox regressions. RESULTS Lower OID scores were associated with an increased dementia hazard across all odor clusters. Lower performance in the high identifiability cluster showed the strongest association with dementia (hazard ratio = 1.39, 95% confidence interval [1.28–1.51]). Moreover, the high‐intensity odor cluster showed a stronger association with dementia than the low‐intensity cluster (P = 0.02). DISCUSSION The findings suggest that the SST items differ with regard to their association with dementia and support using a reduced set size for clinical practice. Highlights Odor identification (OID) items differ in their association with future dementia. Reduced OID set sizes render hazard ratios comparable to larger set sizes. Identifiability and perceptual characteristics of odors should be considered when designing dementia screening instruments.
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spelling doaj-art-0cfce217976a42488404ddfd259707b62025-08-20T02:55:53ZengWileyAlzheimer’s & Dementia: Diagnosis, Assessment & Disease Monitoring2352-87292024-10-01164n/an/a10.1002/dad2.70035Odor identification and progression to dementia: The role of odor characteristics and set sizeEva Dickmänken0Maria Larsson1Ingrid Ekström2Jonas Olofsson3Giulia Grande4Debora Rizzuto5Erika J. Laukka6Aging Research Center Department of Neurobiology Care Sciences and Society Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm University Stockholm SwedenGösta Ekman Laboratories Department of Psychology Stockholm University Stockholm SwedenAging Research Center Department of Neurobiology Care Sciences and Society Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm University Stockholm SwedenGösta Ekman Laboratories Department of Psychology Stockholm University Stockholm SwedenAging Research Center Department of Neurobiology Care Sciences and Society Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm University Stockholm SwedenAging Research Center Department of Neurobiology Care Sciences and Society Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm University Stockholm SwedenAging Research Center Department of Neurobiology Care Sciences and Society Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm University Stockholm SwedenAbstract INTRODUCTION We evaluated short versions of a 16‐item odor identification (OID) test, with regard to their ability to identify individuals at high dementia risk. METHODS Participants from the population‐based SNAC‐K study (n = 2418) were followed across 12 years. We formed 13 abbreviated clusters based on the identifiability and perceptual characteristics of the Sniffin’ Sticks Test (SST) items, and pre‐existing test versions. Dementia hazard was estimated with Cox regressions. RESULTS Lower OID scores were associated with an increased dementia hazard across all odor clusters. Lower performance in the high identifiability cluster showed the strongest association with dementia (hazard ratio = 1.39, 95% confidence interval [1.28–1.51]). Moreover, the high‐intensity odor cluster showed a stronger association with dementia than the low‐intensity cluster (P = 0.02). DISCUSSION The findings suggest that the SST items differ with regard to their association with dementia and support using a reduced set size for clinical practice. Highlights Odor identification (OID) items differ in their association with future dementia. Reduced OID set sizes render hazard ratios comparable to larger set sizes. Identifiability and perceptual characteristics of odors should be considered when designing dementia screening instruments.https://doi.org/10.1002/dad2.70035dementiaolfactionperceptual characteristicsSniffin’ Sticks Test
spellingShingle Eva Dickmänken
Maria Larsson
Ingrid Ekström
Jonas Olofsson
Giulia Grande
Debora Rizzuto
Erika J. Laukka
Odor identification and progression to dementia: The role of odor characteristics and set size
Alzheimer’s & Dementia: Diagnosis, Assessment & Disease Monitoring
dementia
olfaction
perceptual characteristics
Sniffin’ Sticks Test
title Odor identification and progression to dementia: The role of odor characteristics and set size
title_full Odor identification and progression to dementia: The role of odor characteristics and set size
title_fullStr Odor identification and progression to dementia: The role of odor characteristics and set size
title_full_unstemmed Odor identification and progression to dementia: The role of odor characteristics and set size
title_short Odor identification and progression to dementia: The role of odor characteristics and set size
title_sort odor identification and progression to dementia the role of odor characteristics and set size
topic dementia
olfaction
perceptual characteristics
Sniffin’ Sticks Test
url https://doi.org/10.1002/dad2.70035
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