Olfaction and anxiety differently associated in men and women in cognitive physiological and pathological aging

Background Olfactory and affective factors are associated in a complex way, likely due to partial overlap brain regions involved. Although the role of olfaction disorders such as Parkinson Disease (PD) is documented, less clear association between psychological symptoms, anxiety, Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) elderly cognitively healthy controls (HCs). Also, sex differences symptoms pathological aging poorly understood. Methods We included 117 subjects: 29 HCs (62.1% women), 43 MCI (34.9% women) 45 PD (40% from Center for Neurodegeneration Translational Neuroscience. assessed olfactory function with Brief Smell Identification Test (BSIT) anxiety State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). used regression model BSIT predicting STAI_Traits. also an interaction determine traits, our three different groups. Results Loss related greater traits all Our STAI_Traits significant HCs: p = 0.015; MCI: 0.001 PD: 0.038 (adjusted age, gender education). olfaction*sex explore difference effect on showing that HCs, every unit increase BSIT, trait decreased by 7.63 men (p 0.009) 1.5 women 0.225); MCI, 1.19 0.048) 3.03 0.0036); PD, 1.73 0.004) 0.41 0.3632). Conclusions Olfaction correlated physiological aging, but differently women. show closer relationship compared In HC more closely significantly we note opposite pattern, slightly link olfaction.