title: Depressive symptoms and olfactory function in older adults.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Neuroimaging studies suggest a significant overlap between brain regions involved in the regulation of olfaction and mood. The aim of the present study was to search for correlations between depressive symptomatology measured by the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) and olfactory function assessed with Sniffin' Sticks in non-demented older adults (aged 53-79 years).
  
  
  METHODS
  Taste detection thresholds were also measured by means of electrogustometry on the anterior tongue.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No correlation was found between the GDS scores (range: 0-12) and olfactory thresholds or olfactory identification scores. Similarly, there was no relationship between depressive symptoms and electrogustometric thresholds. Subjects (n = 25) scoring > or = 5 on the GDS were classified as 'depressed' and all other individuals (n = 60) were classified as 'non-depressed'. The two groups did not differ in terms of the olfactory measures and electrogustometric threshold.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Depressive symptoms are not associated with any major olfactory deficit in non-clinical older adults.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Warsaw Medical Academy, Warsaw, Poland. scinska@ipin.edu.pl
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Scinska
authors.forename: Elzbieta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Wrobel
authors.forename: Agnieszka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Korkosz
authors.forename: Pawel
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zatorski
authors.forename: Halina
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sienkiewicz-Jarosz
authors.forename: Wanda
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Lojkowska
authors.forename: Lukasz
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Swiecicki
authors.forename: Wojciech
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kukwa
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009833:Olfactory Pathways / Q000503:physiopathology; D010555:Personality Inventory; D012684:Sensory Thresholds / Q000502:physiology; D012903:Smell / Q000502:physiology*; D013652:Taste Threshold / Q000502:physiology