Healthy Aging, Mild Behavioral Impairment, Mild Cognitive Impairment, Subjective Cognitive Concerns
Conditions
Keywords
Alzheimer's disease, Olfactory, Neurodegeneration, Mild Cognitive Impairment, Mild Behavioral Impairment, Subjective Cognitive Concerns, Olfactory dysfunction, Biomarker, Cognitive Assessment
Brief summary
The goal of this study is to objectively test one's sense of smell, called olfaction, in participants with Subjective Cognitive Concerns (SCC), Mild Cognitive Impairment, Mild Behavioral Impairment (MBI), and age-matched controls. The main question it aims to answer is whether the AROMHA Brain Health Test could serve as a predictive biomarker of neurodegenerative disorders. This understanding will aid in the development of a noninvasive, cost-effective diagnostic tool that reliably and specifically distinguishes disease and normal aging populations. Participants will take the approximately 45-minute AROMHA Brain Health Smell Test where they will peel and sniff labels on the physical smell cards and answer questions on the web-based app relating to what they smelled. Participants will undergo tests for odor intensity, odor identification, odor discrimination, and episodic olfactory memory, but will not be provided the results of these tests.
Interventions
DEVICEAROMHA Brain Health Test
The AROMHA Brain Health Test is a self-administered, at-home smell test developed as a potential primary screen for identifying individuals at risk for developing Alzheimer's and as a means to follow disease progression in individuals without overt cognitive symptoms. The smell test device consists of five physical smell cards and a paired web-based app that directs participants on how to sample odors and asks them questions regarding what they have smelled. The 45-minute smell test battery includes measures of odor intensity, identification, memory, and discrimination.
Sponsors
Massachusetts General Hospital
Study design
Observational model
COHORT
Time perspective
CROSS_SECTIONAL
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 100 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* A clinical or research consensus diagnosis of the patient's condition or control status. * Individuals that are at least 18 years of age at the time of enrollment. * Individuals that are no older than 100 years of age at the time of enrollment.
Exclusion criteria
* Primary pulmonary disease such as severe emphysema or asthma not under good medical control. * Current sinusitis, common cold, upper respiratory infection, or nasal polyps. * Current or recent (past 6 months) alcohol or substance dependence. A prior history of alcohol or substance abuse will not be grounds for exclusion. * Pregnancy. * Severe cognitive dysfunction that would preclude completion of the olfactory testing. * An adverse reaction to fragrances (ie. they trigger a severe asthmatic attack or nausea).
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| AROMHA Brain Health Test | 1 hour | The AROMHA Brain Health Test is a battery of 18 odors across 5 smell cards. The subject smells each odor label and is tested on odor intensity, identification, memory, and discrimination. An increased number of correct responses indicates a better sense of smell. We will evaluate MCI patients' performance against age-matched controls. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| AROMHA Brain Health Test | 1 hour | The AROMHA Brain Health Test is a battery of 18 odors across 5 smell cards. The subject smells each odor label and is tested on odor intensity, identification, memory, and discrimination. An increased number of correct responses indicates a better sense of smell. We will evaluate MBI patients' performance against age-matched controls. |
Countries
United States
Contacts
CONTACTMark W Albers, MD PhD
CONTACTAlefiya Albers, PhD
PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATORMark W Albers, MD PhD
Massachusetts General Hospital
Outcome results
None listed