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Mind your nose: A randomized controlled trial of olfactory‐based memory training for older people with subjective cognitive decline
Isabelle Burke, Courtney Chesser, Christopher Brown, Rachel J. Watkins, Peter Butterworth, Jonas Olofsson, Kate Laver, Benjamin M. Hampstead et al.. Alzheimer s & Dementia Translational Research & Clinical Interventions, 2025-07-01
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Abstract INTRODUCTION Olfactory‐based cognitive training may be of benefit to individuals at risk of dementia given the strong association between olfactory impairment and cognitive decline. The Mind Your Nose (MYN) trial compared an olfactory‐based memory training protocol (OMT) to a visually‐based memory training protocol (VMT) among older adults with subjective cognitive decline. METHODS Participants ( N = 53; 17 males; M age = 72.77, standard deviation [SD] = 6.12) were randomly assigned in a 2:1 ratio to daily OMT ( n = 36) or VMT ( n = 17) intervention for 20 days. Outcomes were evaluated at baseline (T0), post‐intervention (T1), and 1‐month follow‐up (T2) and included standardized measures of global olfaction (Sniffin’ Sticks) and cognition (National Institutes of Health Toolbox), as well as performance on the olfactory memory (OM) and the visual memory (VM) tasks, and measures of mood and meta‐cognition. RESULTS A significant interaction was found between treatment allocation, time, and modality of memory task at T1(β = −37.50, p = 0.008) and T2(β = −28.75, p = 0.041). Post‐hoc comparisons revealed improvement in trained tasks; OMT led to improvement on the OM task (T1; g = 0.71, p = 0.036; T2; g = 0.72, p = 0.035), and VMT led to improvement on the VM task (T1; g = 1.22, p = 0.011; T2; g = 1.29, p = 0.006). Improvement on the untrained memory task only occurred in OMT (VM task, T1; g = 0.63, p = 0.071; T2; g = 0.74, p = 0.033). No interaction between treatment allocation and time was observed post intervention or at follow‐up for global olfactory ability (T1; β = 0.27, p = 0.871; T2; β = −1.27, p = 0.296). DISCUSSION Consistent with previous research, transfer gains from the OMT condition to an untrained VM task suggest that olfaction may contribute to a‐modal representations of memory. We argue that memory‐based olfactory training offers a new frontier for cognitive interventions among those at risk of dementia. Highlights Relatively few cognitive training programs engage the olfactory sense. Olfactory memory training offers a new frontier of cognitive training for older adults. Olfaction may contribute to improved performance on trained and untrained tasks. The functional impact of olfactory training should be further explored.
Key findings
- RESULTS A significant interaction was found between treatment allocation, time, and modality of memory task at T1(β = −37.50, p = 0.008) and T2(β = −28.75, p = 0.041).
- Post‐hoc comparisons revealed improvement in trained tasks; OMT led to improvement on the OM task (T1; g = 0.71, p = 0.036; T2; g = 0.72, p = 0.035), and VMT led to improvement on the VM task (T1; g = 1.22, p = 0.011; T2; g = 1.29, p = 0.006).
- DISCUSSION Consistent with previous research, transfer gains from the OMT condition to an untrained VM task suggest that olfaction may contribute to a‐modal representations of memory.
Why it matters
In this trial of 53 older adults with subjective cognitive decline, olfactory-based memory training improved performance on the trained olfactory memory task and on an untrained memory task, while visual training improved the visual memory task. The findings suggest training gains may transfer to untrained tasks in the olfactory group, but the sample was small.
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Study details
- Participants53
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 41/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design and effect reported because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Alzheimer s & Dementia Translational Research & Clinical Interventions) |
| Journal's citation record | 1 / 4 | Alzheimer s & Dementia Translational Research & Clinical Interventions: journal h-index 84 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 4 / 5 | 2025 — within 3 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 1 / 4 | 53 participants |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomised / blinded | 1 / 2 | Randomised (as stated in the record) |
| Times cited | 1 / 7 | Cited 2 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 0 / 5 | 0.7 citations a year over 3 year(s) since 2025 |
| Impact for its field and year | 2 / 6 | Cited 1.2× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 0 / 4 | Cited 2 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Alex Bahar‐Fuchs: h-index 26 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | University of Michigan: institution h-index 2,240 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 4 institution(s) in 3 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 40636802) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 41 / 100 | — |
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Read the original
- DOI: 10.1002/trc2.70120
- PubMed: 40636802
- Original source →
- Free full text: Alzheimer s & Dementia Translational Research & Clinical Interventions →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record's author list ends in “et al.”, so not every author is named. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Burke, I., Chesser, C., Brown, C., Watkins, R. J., Butterworth, P., Olofsson, J., et al. (2025). Mind your nose: A randomized controlled trial of olfactory‐based memory training for older people with subjective cognitive decline. Alzheimer s & Dementia Translational Research & Clinical Interventions. https://doi.org/10.1002/trc2.70120
Vancouver
Burke I, Chesser C, Brown C, Watkins RJ, Butterworth P, Olofsson J, et al. Mind your nose: A randomized controlled trial of olfactory‐based memory training for older people with subjective cognitive decline. Alzheimer s & Dementia Translational Research & Clinical Interventions. 2025. doi:10.1002/trc2.70120. PMID: 40636802.
BibTeX
@article{burke2025-40636802,
author = {Burke, Isabelle and Chesser, Courtney and Brown, Christopher and Watkins, Rachel J. and Butterworth, Peter and Olofsson, Jonas and Laver, Kate and Hampstead, Benjamin M. and others},
title = {{Mind your nose: A randomized controlled trial of olfactory‐based memory training for older people with subjective cognitive decline}},
journal = {Alzheimer s \& Dementia Translational Research \& Clinical Interventions},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.1002/trc2.70120},
pmid = {40636802},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1002/trc2.70120}
}
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