The assessment of olfactory function is becoming increasingly relevant, especially in cases of cognitive decline (i.e., neurodegenerative diseases), where olfactory alterations may be relevant as potential early biomarkers. The Sniffin’ Sticks Olfactory Test, developed in Germany and validated in several countries, is an objective measure of olfactory performance. This study aims to validate this test in a Spanish sample. This study included 209 healthy normosmic volunteers (154 females and 55 males) aged between 20 to 79 years (mean age = 50.11 ± 15.18 years) as the normative sample. From this group, 22 participants were retested in order to obtain test–retest reliability evidence. Odor familiarity for descriptors in the olfactory identification test was also studied on an independent healthy sample (n = 69), and required cultural modifications were applied. Results indicate that men and women, as well as smokers and non-smokers, performed equally in every test. However, significant differences were found between age groups in every score. The general trend is that olfactory function progressively decreases as a function of age, the elderly group (+60 years) being the one with the lowest scores. In conclusion, this normative data, in addition to the test’s cultural modifications, allows the Sniffin’ Sticks Olfactory Test to be administered on a Spanish population.

Background Cognitive stimulation therapy appears to show promising results in the rehabilitation of impaired cognitive processes in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Objective Encouraged by this evidence and the ever-increasing use of technology and artificial intelligence for therapeutic purposes, we examined whether cognitive stimulation therapy implemented on a mobile device and controlled by an artificial intelligence engine can be effective in the neurocognitive rehabilitation of these patients. Methods In this randomized study, 29 child participants (25 males) underwent training with a smart, digital, cognitive stimulation program (KAD_SCL_01) or with 3 commercial video games for 12 weeks, 3 days a week, 15 minutes a day. Participants completed a neuropsychological assessment and a preintervention and postintervention magnetoencephalography study in a resting state with their eyes closed. In addition, information on clinical symptoms was collected from the child´s legal guardians. Results In line with our main hypothesis, we found evidence that smart, digital, cognitive treatment results in improvements in inhibitory control performance. Improvements were also found in visuospatial working memory performance and in the cognitive flexibility, working memory, and behavior and general executive functioning behavioral clinical indexes in this group of participants. Finally, the improvements found in inhibitory control were related to increases in alpha-band power in all participants in the posterior regions, including 2 default mode network regions of the interest: the bilateral precuneus and the bilateral posterior cingulate cortex. However, only the participants who underwent cognitive stimulation intervention (KAD_SCL_01) showed a significant increase in this relationship. Conclusions The results seem to indicate that smart, digital treatment can be effective in the inhibitory control and visuospatial working memory rehabilitation in patients with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Furthermore, the relation of the inhibitory control with alpha-band power changes could mean that these changes are a product of plasticity mechanisms or changes in the neuromodulatory dynamics. Trial Registration ISRCTN Registry ISRCTN71041318; https://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN71041318

The Sniffin’ Sticks Olfactory Identification Test is a tool for measurement of olfactory performance developed in Germany and validated in several countries. This research aims to develop the Spanish version of the Sniffin’ Sticks Olfactory Identification Test and obtain normative values for the Spanish population. The parameters are free recall and subjective intensity of odorants are included. The influence of possible demographic covariates such as sex, age, smoking, or educational level are analyzed, and the items that best discriminate are studied. In addition, the internal structure validity of the blue and purple versions is studied as a parallel measure, and a cultural adaptation of the purple version is carried out. For this, three independent samples of normosmic healthy volunteers were studied. To obtain normative values, the sample was of 417 participants (18–89 years). For the internal structure validity study of both versions, the sample was 226 (18–70 years), and for familiarity of the purple version, the sample was 75 participants (21–79 years). Results indicated that men and women and smokers and non-smokers perform equally. However, differences were found as age progresses, being more pronounced after 60 years old in all three measurements of the identification test. This research also provides the items that best discriminate in the blue version and a cultural adaptation for the purple version. In conclusion, the Sniffin’ Sticks Odor Identification Test is a suitable tool for olfactory assessment in the Spanish population. The instrument has been expanded with two new scores, and normative data as a function of age are provided. Its parallel version also seems appropriate for testing, as items have been culturally adapted and evidence of internal structure validity for both versions is reported.

Loneliness is considered a prognostic factor for poorer health status in the elderly. It is proposed to analyze the role of loneliness in health status in terms of various factors. A total of 1747 individuals from the pilot survey of the Aging in Spain Longitudinal Study (ELES-PS) were reviewed. ELES is a cross-sectional study for collecting health variables, food habits, socioeconomic data, and cognitive and functional capacities, which was carried out on a Spanish representative sample of noninstitutionalized persons of 50 years of age or older. Moreover, since telomere shortening is associated with cellular senescence, 35 telomere-related SNPs and cognitive impairments were analyzed. The results characterize the “solos” as males of 50–60 years, who were overweight and had lower levels of hemoglobin and neutrophils. There is also an association between five SNPs related to telomere length and BDNF. A group of people with loneliness and depression was identified with poorer health and cognitive status, poorer perception of their quality of life, poorer quality of sleep, and lower physical activity. Therefore, it follows that telomeres and BDNF play a role as intermediaries between loneliness and depression and their relationship with a worse state of health.

Aging contributes to the deterioration of the olfactory system in humans. Several studies indicate that the olfactory identification test alone may function as a screening test for olfactory dysfunction and they are more feasible to apply in clinical practice. Olfactory identification may be a predictor for cognitive impairment. Multiple studies have considered the use of odor identification as a measure to identify the conversion from normality to mild cognitive impairment or dementia. The objectives were (i) to elucidate the associations between cognitive status and olfactory identification performance in aging; (ii) understand the predictive value of olfactory capacity in identifying subjects with cognitive impairment risk; and (iii) to study how cognitive status and olfactory identification relate with other variables of wellness in aging, such as functional capabilities and clinical measures. For this purpose, a group of 149 participants (77.15 ± 7.29 years; 73 women of 76.7 ± 8 years and 76 men of 77.6 ± 6.52 years) were recruited and were subjected to a sociodemographic questionnaire, a psychological screening tool of general cognitive status, an olfactory identification evaluation, and clinical measures. The participants were divided into groups based on their cutoff scores of previous scientific reports about the Spanish version of Montreal Cognitive Assessment. Our results indicate an age-associated decline in olfactory identification ability and intensity of odor perception. The predictive ability of olfactory identification scores for the risk of mild and severe impairment is around 80%. Olfactory identification decreases with cognitive function. Performance in odor identification is associated with impairment of episodic memory and executive functions. These findings further our current understanding of the association between cognition and olfaction, and support olfactory assessment in screening those at higher risk of dementia.