Olfactory function and the social lives of older adults: A matter of sex

Sanne Boesveldt; Jason R. Yee; Martha K. McClintock; Johan N. Lundström

doi:10.1038/srep45118

Olfactory function and the social lives of older adults: A matter of sex

Sanne Boesveldt^*, Jason R. Yee, Martha K. McClintock, Johan N. Lundström

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

29 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Social factors play a critical role in a panoply of health processes, including, as recently demonstrated, olfaction. Here, we investigated sex-dependent differences in the relationship between social lives and ability to identify odors in a large sample of nationally representative older US adults (n = 3005, National Social Life and Aging Project (NSHAP)). Social life was measured by the number of friends and close relatives as well as frequency of socializing. We here confirm the association between social lives and olfactory function and extend the notion by showing specifically that olfactory identification ability is modulated by sex in older adults. The connection between olfactory performance and social lives could reflect social modulation of aging as has been reported for health in general. Future studies are necessary to elucidate the precise mechanisms underlying this association and sex difference.

Original language	English
Article number	45118
Journal	Scientific Reports
Volume	7
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/srep45118
Publication status	Published - 2017

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10.1038/srep45118Licence: CC BY-NC-ND

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title = "Olfactory function and the social lives of older adults: A matter of sex",

abstract = "Social factors play a critical role in a panoply of health processes, including, as recently demonstrated, olfaction. Here, we investigated sex-dependent differences in the relationship between social lives and ability to identify odors in a large sample of nationally representative older US adults (n = 3005, National Social Life and Aging Project (NSHAP)). Social life was measured by the number of friends and close relatives as well as frequency of socializing. We here confirm the association between social lives and olfactory function and extend the notion by showing specifically that olfactory identification ability is modulated by sex in older adults. The connection between olfactory performance and social lives could reflect social modulation of aging as has been reported for health in general. Future studies are necessary to elucidate the precise mechanisms underlying this association and sex difference.",

author = "Sanne Boesveldt and Yee, {Jason R.} and McClintock, {Martha K.} and Lundstr{\"o}m, {Johan N.}",

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AU - Boesveldt, Sanne

AU - Yee, Jason R.

AU - McClintock, Martha K.

AU - Lundström, Johan N.

PY - 2017

Y1 - 2017

N2 - Social factors play a critical role in a panoply of health processes, including, as recently demonstrated, olfaction. Here, we investigated sex-dependent differences in the relationship between social lives and ability to identify odors in a large sample of nationally representative older US adults (n = 3005, National Social Life and Aging Project (NSHAP)). Social life was measured by the number of friends and close relatives as well as frequency of socializing. We here confirm the association between social lives and olfactory function and extend the notion by showing specifically that olfactory identification ability is modulated by sex in older adults. The connection between olfactory performance and social lives could reflect social modulation of aging as has been reported for health in general. Future studies are necessary to elucidate the precise mechanisms underlying this association and sex difference.

AB - Social factors play a critical role in a panoply of health processes, including, as recently demonstrated, olfaction. Here, we investigated sex-dependent differences in the relationship between social lives and ability to identify odors in a large sample of nationally representative older US adults (n = 3005, National Social Life and Aging Project (NSHAP)). Social life was measured by the number of friends and close relatives as well as frequency of socializing. We here confirm the association between social lives and olfactory function and extend the notion by showing specifically that olfactory identification ability is modulated by sex in older adults. The connection between olfactory performance and social lives could reflect social modulation of aging as has been reported for health in general. Future studies are necessary to elucidate the precise mechanisms underlying this association and sex difference.

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DO - 10.1038/srep45118

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VL - 7

JO - Scientific Reports

JF - Scientific Reports

SN - 2045-2322

M1 - 45118

ER -

Olfactory function and the social lives of older adults: A matter of sex

Abstract

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