Overnight olfactory enrichment using an odorant diffuser improves memory and modifies the uncinate fasciculus in older adults
ObjectiveCognitive loss in older adults is a growing issue in our society, and there is a need to develop inexpensive, simple, effective in-home treatments. This study was conducted to explore the use of olfactory enrichment at night to improve cognitive ability in healthy older adults.MethodsMale a...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2023-07-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Neuroscience |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnins.2023.1200448/full |
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| author | Cynthia C. Woo Blake Miranda Blake Miranda Mithra Sathishkumar Mithra Sathishkumar Farideh Dehkordi-Vakil Michael A. Yassa Michael A. Yassa Michael Leon Michael Leon Michael Leon |
| author_facet | Cynthia C. Woo Blake Miranda Blake Miranda Mithra Sathishkumar Mithra Sathishkumar Farideh Dehkordi-Vakil Michael A. Yassa Michael A. Yassa Michael Leon Michael Leon Michael Leon |
| author_sort | Cynthia C. Woo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | ObjectiveCognitive loss in older adults is a growing issue in our society, and there is a need to develop inexpensive, simple, effective in-home treatments. This study was conducted to explore the use of olfactory enrichment at night to improve cognitive ability in healthy older adults.MethodsMale and female older adults (N = 43), age 60–85, were enrolled in the study and randomly assigned to an Olfactory Enriched or Control group. Individuals in the enriched group were exposed to 7 different odorants a week, one per night, for 2 h, using an odorant diffuser. Individuals in the control group had the same experience with de minimis amounts of odorant. Neuropsychological assessments and fMRI scans were administered at the beginning of the study and after 6 months.ResultsA statistically significant 226% improvement was observed in the enriched group compared to the control group on the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test and improved functioning was observed in the left uncinate fasciculus, as assessed by mean diffusivity.ConclusionMinimal olfactory enrichment administered at night produces improvements in both cognitive and neural functioning. Thus, olfactory enrichment may provide an effective and low-effort pathway to improved brain health. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T22:05:59Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5503e4e57b174942a5aae86086b4536d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1662-453X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T22:05:59Z |
| publishDate | 2023-07-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Neuroscience |
| spelling | doaj.art-5503e4e57b174942a5aae86086b4536d2023-07-24T11:46:09ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Neuroscience1662-453X2023-07-011710.3389/fnins.2023.12004481200448Overnight olfactory enrichment using an odorant diffuser improves memory and modifies the uncinate fasciculus in older adultsCynthia C. Woo0Blake Miranda1Blake Miranda2Mithra Sathishkumar3Mithra Sathishkumar4Farideh Dehkordi-Vakil5Michael A. Yassa6Michael A. Yassa7Michael Leon8Michael Leon9Michael Leon10Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United StatesDepartment of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United StatesCenter for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United StatesDepartment of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United StatesCenter for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United StatesDepartment of Statistics, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United StatesDepartment of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United StatesCenter for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United StatesDepartment of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United StatesCenter for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United StatesInstitute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United StatesObjectiveCognitive loss in older adults is a growing issue in our society, and there is a need to develop inexpensive, simple, effective in-home treatments. This study was conducted to explore the use of olfactory enrichment at night to improve cognitive ability in healthy older adults.MethodsMale and female older adults (N = 43), age 60–85, were enrolled in the study and randomly assigned to an Olfactory Enriched or Control group. Individuals in the enriched group were exposed to 7 different odorants a week, one per night, for 2 h, using an odorant diffuser. Individuals in the control group had the same experience with de minimis amounts of odorant. Neuropsychological assessments and fMRI scans were administered at the beginning of the study and after 6 months.ResultsA statistically significant 226% improvement was observed in the enriched group compared to the control group on the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test and improved functioning was observed in the left uncinate fasciculus, as assessed by mean diffusivity.ConclusionMinimal olfactory enrichment administered at night produces improvements in both cognitive and neural functioning. Thus, olfactory enrichment may provide an effective and low-effort pathway to improved brain health.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnins.2023.1200448/fullolfactory trainingfMRIenvironmental enrichmentuncinate fasciculuscognitive lossolfaction |
| spellingShingle | Cynthia C. Woo Blake Miranda Blake Miranda Mithra Sathishkumar Mithra Sathishkumar Farideh Dehkordi-Vakil Michael A. Yassa Michael A. Yassa Michael Leon Michael Leon Michael Leon Overnight olfactory enrichment using an odorant diffuser improves memory and modifies the uncinate fasciculus in older adults Frontiers in Neuroscience olfactory training fMRI environmental enrichment uncinate fasciculus cognitive loss olfaction |
| title | Overnight olfactory enrichment using an odorant diffuser improves memory and modifies the uncinate fasciculus in older adults |
| title_full | Overnight olfactory enrichment using an odorant diffuser improves memory and modifies the uncinate fasciculus in older adults |
| title_fullStr | Overnight olfactory enrichment using an odorant diffuser improves memory and modifies the uncinate fasciculus in older adults |
| title_full_unstemmed | Overnight olfactory enrichment using an odorant diffuser improves memory and modifies the uncinate fasciculus in older adults |
| title_short | Overnight olfactory enrichment using an odorant diffuser improves memory and modifies the uncinate fasciculus in older adults |
| title_sort | overnight olfactory enrichment using an odorant diffuser improves memory and modifies the uncinate fasciculus in older adults |
| topic | olfactory training fMRI environmental enrichment uncinate fasciculus cognitive loss olfaction |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnins.2023.1200448/full |
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