Evidence mapPaperPMID 38217708Full record

ArticleJournal of neurology2024

Associations between olfactory dysfunction and cognition: a scoping review.

Patricia T Jacobson, Brandon J Vilarello, Jeremy P Tervo, Nicholas A Waring, David A Gudis, Terry E Goldberg, D P Devanand, Jonathan B Overdevest

Open access · greenAbstract readScoping Review
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of neurology, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 16 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
16citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
6.5field-weighted citation impact, top 2% of its field
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

16 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 18 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Article
  4. A new framework for the labeling of odors in the Sniffin' Sticks odor identification test: relevance of familiarity and test-retest assessment.European archives of oto-rhino-laryngology : official journal of the European Federation of Oto-Rhino-Laryngological Societies (EUFOS) : affiliated with the German Society for Oto-Rhino-Laryngology - Head and Neck Surgery · 2026
    Article
  5. Effect of theFoods (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026
    Article
  6. Article
  7. Article
  8. Article
  9. Article
  10. Cerebral Small Vessel Disease in Older Adults With Olfactory Dysfunction.International forum of allergy & rhinology · 2025
    Article
  11. Olfactory Dysfunction and Cognitive Decline: Are They Related?Current allergy and asthma reports · 2025
    Review
  12. Article
  13. Article
  14. Relationship of Multiple Sensory Impairments With Physical Performance in Older Adults in the Study of Muscle, Mobility and Aging.The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences · 2025
    Article
  15. Review
  16. 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

8 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Patricia T Jacobson *Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, New York-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.
Brandon J Vilarello *Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA.
Jeremy P TervoColumbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA.
Nicholas A WaringColumbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA.
David A GudisDepartment of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, New York-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.
Terry E GoldbergDepartment of Psychiatry, New York-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.
D P DevanandColumbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA.
Jonathan B OverdevestDepartment of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, New York-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA. jo2566@cumc.columbia.edu.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1152-2512
Columbia University Irving Medical Center · USColumbia University · US

Funding

Neurocognitive & neuropsychiatric impact of chemosensory alterations: Implications of olfactory dysfunction in COVID-19K23DC019678 · COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES · 2025 to 2025
$179k
NIDCD NIH HHS K23 DC019678NIDCD NIH HHS K23DC019678
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionStrong evidence suggests that olfactory dysfunction (OD) can predict additional neurocognitive decline in neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. However, research exploring olfaction and cognition in younger populations is limited. The aim of this review is to evaluate cognitive changes among non-elderly adults with non-COVID-19-related OD.

methodsWe performed a structured comprehensive literature search of PubMed, Ovid Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library in developing this scoping review. The primary outcome of interest was the association between OD and cognitive functioning in adults less than 60 years of age.

resultsWe identified 2878 studies for title and abstract review, with 167 undergoing full text review, and 54 selected for data extraction. Of these, 34 studies reported on populations of individuals restricted to the ages of 18-60, whereas the remaining 20 studies included a more heterogeneous population with the majority of individuals in this target age range in addition to some above the age of 60. The etiologies for smell loss among the included studies were neuropsychiatric disorders (37%), idiopathic cause (25%), type 2 diabetes (7%), trauma (5%), infection (4%), intellectual disability (4%), and other (18%). Some studies reported numerous associations and at times mixed, resulting in a total number of associations greater than the included number of 54 studies. Overall, 21/54 studies demonstrated a positive association between olfaction and cognition, 7/54 demonstrated no association, 25/54 reported mixed results, and only 1/54 demonstrated a negative association.

conclusionMost studies demonstrate a positive correlation between OD and cognition, but the data are mixed with associations less robust in this young adult population compared to elderly adults. Despite the heterogeneity in study populations and outcomes, this scoping review serves as a starting point for further investigation on this topic. Notably, as many studies in this review involved disorders that may have confounding effects on both olfaction and cognition, future research should control for these confounders and incorporate non-elderly individuals with non-psychiatric causes of smell loss.

Indexed as

Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2Olfaction DisordersAdultAgedAnosmiaCognitionHumansMiddle AgedSmellYoung AdultCognitionHealthy adultsMiddle-aged adultsOlfactionSemi-objective olfaction testingYoung adults

Identifiers

PMID38217708
PMCPMC11144520
OpenAlexW4390841876

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceTDM
Read underepoch 390

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 Socratic graph.