Alterations in Olfaction during Alzheimer Disease, Parkinson Disease and Lewy Body Disease

Patrick Manckoundia, Alain Put

Abstract

Increasing interest is being shown in the link between olfaction, a complex sensory system, and cognition, particularly in the elderly. Olfaction is known to affect cognitive abilities and mood. In this article, we consider the impairment of olfactory function due to Alzheimer disease (AD), Parkinson disease (PD) and Lewy body disease (LBD), through pathological changes in the peripheral and central olfactory structures. The high frequency of these olfactory disorders as well as their early occurrence in AD, PD and LBD suggest that they should be screened for in subjects suffering from these three neurodegenerative diseases.