The ultimate long-term objectives of this project are to fully describe and quantify the extent of chemosensory functional decline in the elderly, to understand its etiology, and to identify in the chemical senses processes which may be common to aging of other sensory systems. Studies conducted during the current grant period have provided important, new information about chemosensory function in the aged as well as raised a number of provocative questions which have never been posed before. Thus, the specific aims of the current proposal are 1) to aggressively pursue the longitudinal study of chemosensory aging begun during the current grant period assessing the rates of decline both within and across chemosensory functions, at different levels of the systems; and 2) to conduct a series of highly-related, cross-sectional studies which will investigate aspects of potential precursors of olfactory dysfunction in the aged; probe for changes in the hedonics of chemosensory stimuli over time in aging persons; investigate new aspects of odor memory and cognition in the elderly; examine the relationship between olfactory function and age-related changes in cerebral structure on MRI; and compare rates, degree and pattern of recovery from olfactory dysfunction in children and older adults. Subjects in the studies of normal aging will be active, non-institutionalized persons in good nasal health and without dementia. They will be drawn from several age groups: from young adults through the oldest-old. Additional subjects will be a group of patients (children and older adults) with head trauma. A multi-faceted approach, employing both classical and modern psychophysical techniques, will be used to assess identification, odor recognition and recall memory paradigms and scaling of hedonics. Cognitive function will be assessed by standard intelligence and neuropsychological tests. Nasal airway resistance will be measured by anterior rhinomanometry. Nasal disease will be assessed by ear, nose and throat examinations, including endoscopy and nasal cytology. Structural changes in the brain will be assessed by MRI. A more complete understanding of chemosensory function in the elderly may suggest methods for maintaining function in old age, maximizing chemosensory perception, food palatability, and nutritional status in the geriatric population. These studies have the potential to both aid in enhancing quality of life in the aging population and to increase understanding of life-span chemosensory function and dysfunction.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Aging (NIA)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01AG004085-15
Application #
6016782
Study Section
Sensory Disorders and Language Study Section (CMS)
Project Start
1982-09-01
Project End
2001-05-31
Budget Start
1999-06-01
Budget End
2000-05-31
Support Year
15
Fiscal Year
1999
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
San Diego State University
Department
Psychology
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
073371346
City
San Diego
State
CA
Country
United States
Zip Code
92182
Murphy, Claire; Vertrees, Rochelle (2017) Sensory Functioning in Older Adults: Relevance for Food Preference. Curr Opin Food Sci 15:56-60
McIntosh, Elissa C; Jacobson, Aaron; Kemmotsu, Nobuko et al. (2017) Does medial temporal lobe thickness mediate the association between risk factor burden and memory performance in middle-aged or older adults with metabolic syndrome? Neurosci Lett 636:225-232
Green, Erin; Jacobson, Aaron; Haase, Lori et al. (2015) Neural correlates of taste and pleasantness evaluation in the metabolic syndrome. Brain Res 1620:57-71
Albers, Mark W; Gilmore, Grover C; Kaye, Jeffrey et al. (2015) At the interface of sensory and motor dysfunctions and Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimers Dement 11:70-98
Oleson, Stephanie; Murphy, Claire (2015) Olfactory Dysfunction in ApoE ?4/4 Homozygotes with Alzheimer's Disease. J Alzheimers Dis 46:791-803
Bower, Emily; Szajer, Jacquelyn; Mattson, Sarah N et al. (2013) Impaired odor identification in children with histories of heavy prenatal alcohol exposure. Alcohol 47:275-8
Dalton, Pamela; Doty, Richard L; Murphy, Claire et al. (2013) Olfactory assessment using the NIH Toolbox. Neurology 80:S32-6
Szajer, Jacquelyn; Murphy, Claire (2013) Education level predicts retrospective metamemory accuracy in healthy aging and Alzheimer's disease. J Clin Exp Neuropsychol 35:971-82
Kemmotsu, Nobuko; Enobi, Yurika; Murphy, Claire (2013) Performance of older Japanese American adults on selected cognitive instruments. J Int Neuropsychol Soc 19:773-81
Haase, Lori; Wang, MiRan; Green, Erin et al. (2013) Functional connectivity during recognition memory in individuals genetically at risk for Alzheimer's disease. Hum Brain Mapp 34:530-42

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