The relationship between olfactory function and executive functioning in aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage patients

Abstract

Abstract thesis This study investigates the relationship between different aspects of olfactory function and executive functioning in healthy adults between 20-30 and 50-60 years old. Olfactory function was measured using the Burghart Sniffin’ Sticks test, and executive functioning was measured using the D-KEFS Color Word Interference Test (inhibition & cognitive flexibility) and the D-KEFS Tower Test (planning). Multivariate analyses of (co)variance were conducted with and without gender and educational level as covariates. Also, Pearson’s correlations were computed without taking age into account, but also for the younger- and older adult group. Results showed that no group differences were found between the younger and older adults on olfactory function or executive functioning. Moreover, without taking age group into account, a positive relationship was found between odor discrimination and planning, which could be mostly accounted for by the older adults. Positive relationships between odor discrimination/TDI score and planning and negative relationships between odor discrimination/-identification and inhibition have been found in the older adult group, whereas no relationship was found in the younger adult group. No relationships between odor threshold and executive functioning have been found. These results support the notion that odor discrimination and -identification rely on the prefrontal cortex and thus encompass overlapping brain regions with executive functioning. For that reason, olfactory function might be cautiously used as a predictor of executive functioning. However, additional research is necessary in both healthy participants as in aSAH patients with various age groups for better understanding about the relationship between olfactory function and executive functioning.