Cerebral Small Vessel Disease in Older Adults With Olfactory Dysfunction.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Poor vascular health has been associated with age-related declines in sensory functions, including olfaction. The current study was designed to test the hypothesis that cerebral small vessel disease underlies poor olfactory function due to structural declines in brain regions that support olfaction.

Methods

This study included 166 older adults (mean age = 65.16, ±9.10 years; 68% female) whose olfactory function was measured using the Sniffin' Sticks test. Cerebral small vessel disease was defined as the volume of white matter hyperintensity (WMH) lesions that were measured in T2-weighted images. Morphometry analyses were also performed to identify cortical regions that were both disconnected by WMH and had lower cortical thickness in participants with relatively p

SUBMITTER: Eckert MA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12676660 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature