| 1. |
|
|
| 2. |
- Buchanan, E. M., et al.
(författare)
-
The Psychological Science Accelerator's COVID-19 rapid-response dataset
- 2023
-
Ingår i: Scientific Data. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2052-4463. ; 10:1
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Psychological Science Accelerator coordinated three large-scale psychological studies to examine the effects of loss-gain framing, cognitive reappraisals, and autonomy framing manipulations on behavioral intentions and affective measures. The data collected (April to October 2020) included specific measures for each experimental study, a general questionnaire examining health prevention behaviors and COVID-19 experience, geographical and cultural context characterization, and demographic information for each participant. Each participant started the study with the same general questions and then was randomized to complete either one longer experiment or two shorter experiments. Data were provided by 73,223 participants with varying completion rates. Participants completed the survey from 111 geopolitical regions in 44 unique languages/dialects. The anonymized dataset described here is provided in both raw and processed formats to facilitate re-use and further analyses. The dataset offers secondary analytic opportunities to explore coping, framing, and self-determination across a diverse, global sample obtained at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, which can be merged with other time-sampled or geographic data.
|
|
| 3. |
- Jones, Benedict C, et al.
(författare)
-
To which world regions does the valence-dominance model of social perception apply?
- 2021
-
Ingår i: Nature Human Behaviour. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2397-3374. ; 5:1, s. 159-169
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Over the past 10 years, Oosterhof and Todorov's valence-dominance model has emerged as the most prominent account of how people evaluate faces on social dimensions. In this model, two dimensions (valence and dominance) underpin social judgements of faces. Because this model has primarily been developed and tested in Western regions, it is unclear whether these findings apply to other regions. We addressed this question by replicating Oosterhof and Todorov's methodology across 11 world regions, 41 countries and 11,570 participants. When we used Oosterhof and Todorov's original analysis strategy, the valence-dominance model generalized across regions. When we used an alternative methodology to allow for correlated dimensions, we observed much less generalization. Collectively, these results suggest that, while the valence-dominance model generalizes very well across regions when dimensions are forced to be orthogonal, regional differences are revealed when we use different extraction methods and correlate and rotate the dimension reduction solution. PROTOCOL REGISTRATION: The stage 1 protocol for this Registered Report was accepted in principle on 5 November 2018. The protocol, as accepted by the journal, can be found at https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.7611443.v1 .
|
|
| 4. |
- Cedres, Nira, et al.
(författare)
-
Subjective Impairments in Olfaction and Cognition Predict Dissociated Behavioral Outcomes
- 2022
-
Ingår i: The journals of gerontology. Series B, Psychological sciences and social sciences. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 1079-5014 .- 1758-5368. ; 78:1, s. 1-9
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Self-rated subjective cognitive decline (SCD) and subjective olfactory impairment (SOI) are associated with objective cognitive decline and dementia. However, their relationship and co-occurrence is unknown. We aimed to (a) describe the occurrence of SOI, SCD and their overlap in the general population; (b) compare SOI and SCD in terms of longitudinal associations with corresponding objective olfactory and cognitive measures; and (c) describe how SOI and SCD may lead to distinct sensory and cognitive outcomes.Methods: Cognitively unimpaired individuals from the third wave of the Swedish population-based Betula study (n = 784, aged 35–90 years; 51% females) were split into self-rated SOI, SCD, overlapping SCD + SOI, and controls. Between-subject and within-subject repeated-measures MANCOVA were used to compare the groups regarding odor identification, cognition, age, sex, and education. Spearman correlation was used to assess the different patterns of association between olfaction and cognition across groups.Results: SOI was present in 21.1%, whereas SCD was present in 9.9% of participants. According to a chi-square analysis, the SCD + SOI overlap (2.7%) is on a level that could be expected if the phenomena were independent. Odor identification in SOI showed decline at the 10-year follow-up (n = 284) and was positively associated with cognition. The SOI and SCD groups showed distinct cognitive-olfactory profiles at follow-up.Conclusions: SOI occur independently of SCD in the population, and these risk factors are associated with different cognitive and olfactory outcomes. The biological causes underlying SOI and SCD, as well as the risk for future cognitive impairment, need further investigation.
|
|
| 5. |
- Gerkin, Richard C., et al.
(författare)
-
Recent Smell Loss Is the Best Predictor of COVID-19 Among Individuals With Recent Respiratory Symptoms
- 2021
-
Ingår i: Chemical Senses. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0379-864X .- 1464-3553. ; 46
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In a preregistered, cross-sectional study, we investigated whether olfactory loss is a reliable predictor of COVID-19 using a crowdsourced questionnaire in 23 languages to assess symptoms in individuals self-reporting recent respiratory illness. We quantified changes in chemosensory abilities during the course of the respiratory illness using 0–100 visual analog scales (VAS) for participants reporting a positive (C19+; n = 4148) or negative (C19−; n = 546) COVID-19 laboratory test outcome. Logistic regression models identified univariate and multivariate predictors of COVID-19 status and post-COVID-19 olfactory recovery. Both C19+ and C19− groups exhibited smell loss, but it was significantly larger in C19+ participants (mean ± SD, C19+: −82.5 ± 27.2 points; C19−: −59.8 ± 37.7). Smell loss during illness was the best predictor of COVID-19 in both univariate and multivariate models (ROC AUC = 0.72). Additional variables provide negligible model improvement. VAS ratings of smell loss were more predictive than binary chemosensory yes/no-questions or other cardinal symptoms (e.g., fever). Olfactory recovery within 40 days of respiratory symptom onset was reported for ~50% of participants and was best predicted by time since respiratory symptom onset. We find that quantified smell loss is the best predictor of COVID-19 amongst those with symptoms of respiratory illness. To aid clinicians and contact tracers in identifying individuals with a high likelihood of having COVID-19, we propose a novel 0–10 scale to screen for recent olfactory loss, the ODoR-19. We find that numeric ratings ≤2 indicate high odds of symptomatic COVID-19 (4 < OR < 10). Once independently validated, this tool could be deployed when viral lab tests are impractical or unavailable.
|
|
| 6. |
- Menelaou, Georgios, et al.
(författare)
-
Hippocampal subfield volumes and olfactory performance : Emerging longitudinal associations over a 5-year interval
- 2022
-
Ingår i: Neuropsychologia. - : Elsevier. - 0028-3932 .- 1873-3514. ; 176
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Olfaction, the sense of smell, provides important behavioral functions in many species. The hippocampus (HC) is critical for identifying odors, and hippocampal volume is associated with odor identification ability. Impaired odor identification is often reported in old age and might provide an early marker of cognitive decline and dementia. Here, we explored cross-sectional (n = 225) and longitudinal (n = 118) associations between odor identification ability and hippocampal subfield volumes in a sample of middle-aged and older persons (25-80 years). In older participants, longitudinally decreasing volumes of the hippocampal tail, subiculum, CA4 and the dentate gyrus correlated with changes in odor identification. None of these correlations were observed in younger participants, but there was a significant correlation between longitudinal volume reduction in the tail subfield of the hippocampus and odor identification change across all participants. There were no significant cross-sectional associations between hippocampal subfields and odor identification. These exploratory results provide new information regarding precisely where and when declining HC subfield volumes might be associated with odor identification.
|
|
| 7. |
- Hedner, Margareta, et al.
(författare)
-
Age-Related Olfactory Decline is Associated with the BDNF Val66met Polymorphism : Evidence from a Population-Based Study
- 2010
-
Ingår i: Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience. - : Frontiers Media SA. - 1663-4365. ; 2:7, s. 24-
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The present study investigates the effect of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) val66met polymorphism on change in olfactory function in a large scale, longitudinal population-based sample (n = 836). The subjects were tested on a 13 item force-choice odor identification test on two test occasions over a 5-year-interval. Sex, education, health-related factors, and semantic ability were controlled for in the statistical analyses. Results showed an interaction effect of age and BDNF val66met on olfactory change, such that the magnitude of olfactory decline in the older age cohort (70–90years old at baseline) was larger for the val homozygote carriers than for the met carriers. The older met carriers did not display larger age-related decline in olfactory function compared to the younger group. The BDNF val66met polymorphism did not affect the rate of decline in the younger age cohort (45–65years). The findings are discussed in the light of the proposed roles of BDNF in neural development and maintenance.
|
|
| 8. |
- Hörberg, Thomas, 1979-, et al.
(författare)
-
A parosmia severity index based on word-classification predicts olfactory abilities and impairment
- 2023
-
Ingår i: European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology. - : Springer Nature. - 0937-4477 .- 1434-4726. ; 280:8, s. 3695-3706
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Parosmia is an olfactory disorder that involves distortions of specific odors that may co-occur with anosmia, loss of smell of other odors. Little is known about which odors frequently trigger parosmia, and measures of parosmia severity are lacking. Here, we present an approach to understand and diagnose parosmia that is based on semantic properties (e.g., valence) of words describing odor sources (“fish”, “coffee”, etc.). Using a data-driven method based on natural language data, we identified 38 odor descriptors. Descriptors were evenly dispersed across an olfactory-semantic space, which was based on key odor dimensions. Parosmia patients (n = 48) classified the corresponding odors in terms of whether they trigger parosmic or anosmic sensations. We investigated whether these classifications are related to semantic properties of the descriptors. Parosmic sensations were most often reported for words describing unpleasant odors of inedibles that are highly associated to olfaction (e.g., “excrement”). Based on PCA modeling, we derived the Parosmia Severity Index—a measure of parosmia severity that can be determined solely from our non-olfactory behavioral task. This index predicts olfactory-perceptual abilities, self-reported olfactory impairment, and depression. We thus provide a novel approach for investigating parosmia and establishing its severity that does not require odor exposure. Our work may enhance our understanding of how parosmia changes over time and how it is expressed differently across individuals.
|
|
| 9. |
- Hörberg, Thomas, 1979-, et al.
(författare)
-
The semantic organization of the English odor vocabulary
- 2019
-
Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Most people find it difficult to name familiar odors (e.g. Herz & Engen, 1996; Jönsson & Stevenson, 2014). Most languages, including English, lack a vocabulary that is devoted to describing odor qualities (as compared to, e.g., a color term vocabulary). Across languages, olfaction has been shown to be the sense with the poorest linguistic codability (i.e. naming consistency, see e.g. Majid et al., 2018). Instead of using devoted, abstract terms for describing odors, speakers of many languages often resort to source-based (e.g. ‘citrusy’) odor descriptions, and relatively little is still known about the vocabulary that is used to describe odors. Attempts to establish “primary odor descriptors” have been unsuccessful in describing wider varieties of odor qualities, and no standard has been agreed upon (e.g. Kaeppler & Mueller, 2013).To date, research on odor vocabulary has rarely been done from a data-driven, empirical perspective.We present a study on the semantic organization of the odor vocabulary, based on the distribution of words in olfactory and gustatory contexts, using a three-billion-word corpus of written English. Using a data-driven, computational linguistic approach recently developed in our lab (Iatropoulos et al., 2018), we quantify terms with respect to degree of olfactory-semantic content they convey. We then derive the semantic organization of the top 200 olfactory-related terms, using a distributional-semantic word vector model, which represents semantic distances as vector distances in a multidimensional space. In order to capture olfactory and gustatory word senses, the model is trained on olfactory and gustatory contexts, using the word2vec neural network implementation (Mikolov, Chen, Corrado, & Dean, 2013). Based on the semantic distances, we then use dimensionality reduction and clustering techniques (i.e., PCA and hierarchical clustering) to derive a 3-dimensional, corpus-based semantic space of the descriptors, and six principal descriptor clusters.Using descriptor distances based on the Draveneiks odor-term rating data set (Dravnieks, 1992), we also derive a semantic space with six specific clusters for the Draveneiks terms. The organization and clustering of our corpus-based semantic space matches with the ratings-based semantic space, thereby showing the viability of our corpus-based approach. Based on our analyses of the corpus-based data, we finally propose a novel domain-general odor term taxonomy (i.e., a domain-general odor wheel) that captures the dimensions and clusters identified in our analyses.Dravnieks, A. (1992). Atlas of odor character profiles. Philadelphia, PA, USA: American Society for Testing and Materials.Herz, R. S., & Engen, T. (1996). Odor memory: Review and analysis. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 3(3), 300–313.Iatropoulos, G., Herman, P., Lansner, A., Karlgren, J., Larsson, M., & Olofsson, J. K. (2018). The language of smell: Connecting linguistic and psychophysical properties of odor descriptors. Cognition, 178, 37–49.Jönsson, F. U., & Stevenson, R. J. (2014). Odor Knowledge, Odor Naming, and the “Tip-of-the-Nose” Experience. I B. L. Schwartz & A. S. Brown (Red.), Tip-of-the-Tongue States and Related Phenomena (s. 305–326).Kaeppler, K., & Mueller, F. (2013). Odor Classification: A Review of Factors Influencing Perception-Based Odor Arrangements. Chemical Senses, 38(3), 189–209.Majid, A., Roberts, S. G., Cilissen, L., Emmorey, K., Nicodemus, B., O’Grady, L., … Levinson, S. C. (2018). Differential coding of perception in the world’s languages. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 115(45), 11369–11376.Mikolov, T., Chen, K., Corrado, G., & Dean, J. (2013). Efficient Estimation of Word Representations in Vector Space. arXiv:1301.3781 [cs].
|
|
| 10. |
- Hörberg, Thomas, 1979-, et al.
(författare)
-
The Semantic Organization of the English Odor Vocabulary
- 2022
-
Ingår i: Cognitive science. - : Wiley. - 0364-0213 .- 1551-6709. ; 46:11
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The vocabulary for describing odors in English natural language is not well understood, as prior studies of odor descriptions have often relied on preselected descriptors and odor ratings. Here, we present a data-driven approach that automatically identifies English odor descriptors based on their degree of olfactory association, and derive their semantic organization from their distributions in natural texts, using a distributional-semantic language model. We identify 243 descriptors that are much more strongly associated with olfaction than English words in general. We then derive the semantic organization of these olfactory descriptors, and find that it is captured by four clusters that we name Offensive, Malodorous, Fragrant, and Edible. The semantic space derived from our model primarily differentiates descriptors in terms of pleasantness and edibility along which our four clusters are positioned, and is similar to a space derived from perceptual data. The semantic organization of odor vocabulary can thus be mapped using natural language data (e.g., online text), without the limitations of odor-perceptual data and preselected descriptors. Our method may thus facilitate research on olfaction, a sensory system known to often elude verbal description.
|
|
| 11. |
- Kallioinen, Petter, 1973-, et al.
(författare)
-
Semantic processing in children with Cochlear Implants : A review of current N400 studies and recommendations for future research
- 2023
-
Ingår i: Biological Psychology. - : Elsevier. - 0301-0511 .- 1873-6246. ; 182
-
Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- Deaf and hard of hearing children with cochlear implants (CI) often display impaired spoken language skills. While a large number of studies investigated brain responses to sounds in this population, relatively few focused on semantic processing. Here we summarize and discuss findings in four studies of the N400, a cortical response that reflects semantic processing, in children with CI. A study with auditory target stimuli found N400 effects at delayed latencies at 12 months after implantation, but at 18 and 24 months after implantation effects had typical latencies. In studies with visual target stimuli N400 effects were larger than or similar to controls in children with CI, despite lower semantic abilities. We propose that in children with CI, the observed large N400 effect reflects a stronger reliance on top-down predictions, relative to bottom-up language processing. Recent behavioral studies of children and adults with CI suggest that top-down processing is a common compensatory strategy, but with distinct limitations such as being effortful. A majority of the studies have small sample sizes (N < 20), and only responses to image targets were studied repeatedly in similar paradigms. This precludes strong conclusions. We give suggestions for future research and ways to overcome the scarcity of participants, including extending research to children with conventional hearing aids, an understudied group.
|
|
| 12. |
- Lindroos, Robert, 1980-, et al.
(författare)
-
Perceptual odor qualities predict successful odor identification in old age
- 2022
-
Ingår i: Chemical Senses. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0379-864X .- 1464-3553. ; 47
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Odor identification is a common assessment of olfaction, and it is affected in a large number of diseases. Identification abilities decline with age, but little is known about whether there are perceptual odor features that can be used to predict identification. Here, we analyzed data from a large, population-based sample of 2,479 adults, aged 60 years or above, from the Swedish National study on Aging and Care in Kungsholmen. Participants performed both free and cued odor identification tests. In a separate experiment, we assessed perceived pleasantness, familiarity, intensity, and edibility of all odors in the first sample, and examined how odor identification performance is associated with these variables. The analysis showed that high-intensity odors are easier to identify than low-intensity odors overall, but also that they are more susceptible to the negative repercussions of old age. This result indicates that sensory decline is a major aspect of age-dependent odor identification impairment, and suggests a framework where identification likelihood is proportional to the perceived intensity of the odor. Additional analyses further showed that high-performing individuals can discriminate target odors from distractors along the pleasantness and edibility dimensions and that unpleasant and inedible odors show smaller age-related differences in identification. Altogether, these results may guide further development and optimization of brief and efficient odor identification tests as well as influence the design of odorous products targeted toward older consumers.
|
|
| 13. |
- Niedenthal, Simon, et al.
(författare)
-
A graspable olfactory display for virtual reality
- 2023
-
Ingår i: International Journal of Human-Computer Studies. - : Elsevier. - 1071-5819 .- 1095-9300. ; 169
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The sense of smell, olfaction, is seldom engaged in digital interactive systems, but, supported by the proper technology, olfaction might open up new interaction domains. Human olfactory experience involves active exploration, directed sniffing and nuanced judgements about odour identity, concentrations, and blends, yet to date most compact olfactory displays do not directly support these experiences. We describe the development and validation of a compact, low-cost olfactory display fitted to the hand controller of the HTC Vive Virtual Reality (VR) system that employs stepless valves to enable control of scent magnitude and blending (Fig. 1). Our olfactory display allows for concealed (i.e., unknown to the user) combinations of odours with virtual objects and contexts, making it well suited to applications involving interactions with odorous objects in virtual space for recreational, educational, scientific, or therapeutic functions. Through a user study and gas sensor analysis, we have been able to demonstrate that our device presents clear and consistent scent output, is intuitive from a user perspective, and supports gameplay interactions. We present results from a smell training game in a virtual wine tasting cellar in which the initial task of identifying wine aroma components is followed by evaluating more complex blends, allowing the player to “level up” as they proceed to higher degrees of connoisseurship. Novice users were able to quickly adapt to the display, and we found that the device affords sniffing and other gestures that add verisimilitude to olfactory experience in virtual environments. Test-retest reliability was high when participants performed the task two times with the same odours. In sum, the results suggest our olfactory display may facilitate use in game settings and other olfactory interactions.
|
|
| 14. |
- Olofsson, Jonas K., 1978-, et al.
(författare)
-
Olfactory distortions in the general population
- 2022
-
Ingår i: Scientific Reports. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2045-2322. ; 12:1
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Parosmia, distorted smell sensations, is a common consequence of respiratory virus infections. The phenomenon is not well understood in terms of its impact and long-term outcomes. We examined self-reported experiences of parosmia in a population-based sample from the Betula study that was conducted in Umea in northern Sweden (baseline data collected in 1998-2000). We used a baseline sample of 2168 individuals aged 35-90 years and with no cognitive impairment at baseline. We investigated the prevalence of parosmia experiences and, using regression analyses, its relationship to other olfactory and cognitive variables and quality of life. Benefitting from the longitudinal study design, we also assessed the persistence of parosmia over 5 and 10 years prospectively. Parosmia experiences were prevalent in 4.8% of the population and it often co-occurred with phantosmia (olfactory hallucinations), but was not associated with lower self-rated overall quality of life or poor performance on olfactory or cognitive tests. For some individuals, parosmia was retained 5 years (17.0%) or even 10 years later (10.3%). Thus, parosmia experiences are commonly reported in the population, and can be persistent for some individuals, but might be mostly benign in nature. Our work complements research on clinical-level parosmia, which is typically more severe, and recent parosmia reports during the COVID-19 pandemic, where long-term outcomes are still unknown.
|
|
| 15. |
- Pitti, Helda, et al.
(författare)
-
Cerebrovascular damage in subjective cognitive decline : A systematic review and meta-analysis
- 2022
-
Ingår i: Ageing Research Reviews. - : Elsevier Ireland Ltd. - 1568-1637 .- 1872-9649. ; 82
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Subjective cognitive decline (SCD) has been postulated as an early marker of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) but it can also be associated to other non-AD pathologies such as Vascular Dementia (VaD). Nevertheless, there is scarce data about SCD as a potential harbinger of cerebrovascular pathology. Thus, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis on the association between SCD and cerebrovascular damage measured by neuroimaging markers.Method: This study was performed following the PRISMA guidelines. The search was conducted in 3 databases (PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science) from origin to December 8th, 2021. Primary studies including cognitively unimpaired adults with SCD and neuroimaging markers of cerebrovascular damage (i.e., white matter signal abnormalities, WMSA) were selected. Qualitative synthesis and meta-analysis of studies with a case-control design was performed.Results: Of 241 articles identified, 21 research articles were selected. Eight case-control studies were included for the meta-analysis. A significant overall effect-size was observed for the mean WMSA burden in SCD relative to controls, where the WMSA burden was higher in SCD.Conclusion: Our findings show the potential usefulness of SCD as a harbinger of cerebrovascular disease in cognitively healthy individuals. Further research is needed in order to elucidate the role of SCD as a preclinical marker of vascular cognitive impairment.
|
|
| 16. |
- Raj, Rohan, 1996-, et al.
(författare)
-
Odor identification errors reveal cognitive aspects of age-associated smell loss
- 2023
-
Ingår i: Cognition. - : Elsevier. - 0010-0277 .- 1873-7838. ; 236
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Human olfaction can be extraordinarily sensitive, and its most common assessment method is odor identification (OID), where everyday odors are matched to word labels in a multiple-choice format. However, many older persons are unable to identify familiar odors, a deficit that is associated with the risk of future dementia and mortality. The underlying processes subserving OID in older adults are poorly understood. Here, we analyzed error patterns in OID to test whether errors could be explained by perceptual and/or semantic similarities among the response alternatives. We investigated the OID response patterns in a large, population-based sample of older adults in Sweden (n = 2479; age 60–100 years). Olfaction was assessed by a ‘Sniffin ́ TOM OID test with 16 odors; each trial involved matching a target odor to a correct label among three distractors. We analyzed the pattern of misidentifications, and the results showed that some distractors were more frequently selected than others, suggesting cognitive or perceptual factors may be present. Relatedly, we conducted a large online survey of older adults (n = 959, age 60–90 years) who were asked to imagine and rate the perceptual similarity of the target odors and the three corresponding distractors (e.g. “How similar are these smells: apple and mint?”). We then used data from the Swedish web corpus and the Word2Vec neural network algorithm to quantify the semantic association strength between the labels of each target odor and its three distractors. These data sources were used to predict odor identification errors. We found that the error patterns were partly explained by both the semantic similarity between target-distractor pairs, and the imagined perceptual similarity of the target-distractor pair. Both factors had, however, a diminished prediction in older ages, as responses became gradually less systematic. In sum, our results suggest that OID tests not only reflect olfactory perception, but also likely involve the mental processing of odor-semantic associations. This may be the reason why these tests are useful in predicting dementia onset. Our insights into olfactory-language interactions could be harnessed to develop new olfactory tests that are tailored for specific clinical purposes.
|
|
| 17. |
- Rodriguez-Hernandez, Marta A., et al.
(författare)
-
Degeneration of the cholinergic system in individuals with subjective cognitive decline : A systematic review
- 2024
-
Ingår i: Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews. - 0149-7634 .- 1873-7528. ; 157
-
Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- BackgroundSubjective cognitive decline (SCD) is a risk factor for future cognitive impairment and dementia. It is uncertain whether the neurodegeneration of the cholinergic system is already present in SCD individuals. We aimed to review the current evidence about the association between SCD and biomarkers of degeneration in the cholinergic system. MethodOriginal articles were extracted from three databases: Pubmed, Web of Sciences, and Scopus, in January 2023. Two researchers screened the studies independently.ResultsA total of 11 research articles were selected. SCD was mostly based on amnestic cognitive complaints. Cholinergic system biomarkers included neuroimaging markers of basal forebrain volume, functional connectivity, transcranial magnetic stimulation, or biofluid. The evidence showed associations between basal forebrain atrophy, poorer connectivity of the cholinergic system, and SCDConclusionsDegenerative changes in the cholinergic system can be present in SCD. Subjective complaints may help when identifying individuals with brain changes that are associated with cognitive impairment. These findings may have important implications in targeting individuals that may benefit from cholinergic-target treatments at very early stages of neurodegenerative diseases.
|
|
| 18. |
- Tognetti, Arnaud, et al.
(författare)
-
Discriminating between sick and healthy faces based on early sickness cues : an exploratory analysis of sex differences
- 2023
-
Ingår i: Evolution, Medicine, and Public Health. - : Oxford University Press. - 2050-6201. ; 11:1, s. 386-396
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background and objectives: It has been argued that sex and disease-related traits should influence how observers respond to sensory sickness cues. In fact, there is evidence that humans can detect sensory cues related to infection in others, but lack of power from earlier studies prevents any firm conclusion regarding whether perception of sickness cues is associated with sex and disease-related personality traits. Here, we tested whether women (relative to men), individuals with poorer self-reported health, and who are more sensitive to disgust, vulnerable to disease, and concerned about their health, overestimate the presence of, and/or are better at detecting sickness cues.Methodology: In a large online study, 343 women and 340 men were instructed to identify the sick faces from a series of sick and healthy photographs of volunteers with an induced acute experimental inflammation. Participants also completed several disease-related questionnaires.Results: While both men and women could discriminate between sick and healthy individuals above chance level, exploratory analyses revealed that women outperformed men in accuracy and speed of discrimination. Furthermore, we demonstrated that higher disgust sensitivity to body odors is associated with a more liberal decision criterion for categorizing faces as sick.Conclusion: Our findings give strong support for the human ability to discriminate between sick and healthy individuals based on early facial cues of sickness and suggest that women are significantly, although only slightly, better at this task. If this finding is replicated, future studies should determine whether women’s better performance is related to increased avoidance of sick individuals.
|
|
| 19. |
- Zakrzewska, Marta, et al.
(författare)
-
Body odor disgust sensitivity (BODS) is related to extreme odor valence perception
-
Annan publikation (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Odors are important disease cues, and disgust sensitivity to body odors reflects individual differences in disease avoidance. The body odor disgust sensitivity scale (BODS) provides a rapid and valid assessment of individual differences. Nevertheless, little is yet known about how individual differences in BODS might correlate with overall odor perception. We investigated how BODS relates to perceptual ratings of pleasant and unpleasant odors. We aggregated data from 4 experiments (total N=190) that were conducted in our laboratory, and where valence and intensity ratings were collected. Unpleasant odors were body-like odors (e.g., sweat-like valeric acid), which may provide disease cues. Pleasant odors included those associated with hygiene (e.g., lilac; a common fragrance in soap). Across experiments, we show that individuals with higher BODS levels perceived smells as more highly valenced overall: unpleasant smells were rated as more unpleasant, and pleasant smells were rated as more pleasant. These results suggest that disease avoidance is reflected in odor valence perception. Furthermore, we found that disgust sensitivity to odors coming from external sources (e.g., someone else’s sweat) was the best predictor of odor valence ratings. The BODS scale has external validity as it reflects odor valence perception.
|
|
| 20. |
- Zakrzewska, Marta, et al.
(författare)
-
Body odor disgust sensitivity (BODS) is related to extreme odor valence perception
- 2023
-
Ingår i: PLOS ONE. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1932-6203. ; 18:4
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Odors are important disease cues, and disgust sensitivity to body odors reflects individual differences in disease avoidance. The body odor disgust sensitivity (BODS) scale provides a rapid and valid assessment of individual differences. Nevertheless, little is known about how individual differences in BODS might correlate with overall odor perception or how it is related to other differences in emotional reactivity (e.g., affect intensity). We investigated how BODS relates to perceptual ratings of pleasant and unpleasant odors. We aggregated data from 4 experiments (total N = 190) that were conducted in our laboratory, and where valence and intensity ratings were collected. Unpleasant odors were body-like (e.g., sweat-like valeric acid), which may provide disease cues. The pleasant odors were, in contrast, often found in soap and cleaning products (e.g., lilac, lemon). Across experiments, we show that individuals with higher BODS levels perceived smells as more highly valenced overall: unpleasant smells were rated as more unpleasant, and pleasant smells were rated as more pleasant. These results suggest that body odor disgust sensitivity is associated with a broader pattern of affect intensity which causes stronger emotional responses to both negative and positive odors. In contrast, BODS levels were not associated with odor intensity perception. Furthermore, disgust sensitivity to odors coming from external sources (e.g., someone else's sweat) was the best predictor of odor valence ratings. The effects were modest in size. The results validate the BODS scale as it is explicitly associated with experimental ratings of odor valence.
|
|
| 21. |
- Zakrzewska, Marta, et al.
(författare)
-
Body odor disgust sensitivity is associated with xenophobia: Evidence from 9 countries
-
Annan publikation (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Body odor disgust sensitivity (BODS) reflects a behavioral disposition to avoid pathogens, and it may also involve social attitudes. Among participants in the USA, high levels of BODS were associated with stronger xenophobia towards a fictitious refugee group. To test the generalizability of this finding, we analyzed data from 9 countries across five continents (N = 6836). Using structural equation modeling, we found support for our preregistered hypotheses: higher BODS levels were associated with more xenophobic attitudes; this relationship was partially explained by perceived dissimilarities of the refugees’ norms regarding hygiene and food preparation, and general attitudes toward immigration. Our results support a theoretical notion of how pathogen avoidance is associated with social attitudes: “traditional norms” often involve behaviors that limit inter-group contact, social mobility and situations that might lead to pathogen exposure. Our results also indicate that the positive relationship between BODS and xenophobia is robust across cultures.
|
|
| 22. |
- Zakrzewska, Marta, 1987-
(författare)
-
Olfaction and prejudice : The role of body odor disgust sensitivity and disease avoidance in understanding social attitudes
- 2022
-
Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Disease avoidance is one of the main roles of olfaction. In particular, body odors are universal elicitors of disgust, a core emotion that plays a key role in disease avoidance. The disease avoidance theoretical framework emphasizes psychological mechanisms – attitudes and behaviors – aiming to recognize and evade pathogen threats. Thus, it focuses on behavioral immune defenses and disgust, which often evokes such attitudes and behaviors. Importantly, the quality of body odors changes with sickness, and thus olfactory disease detection is possible. Body odor disgust sensitivity (BODS) might reflect a behavioral disposition to avoid pathogens, and it may also involve social attitudes that prefer limited contact with strangers. The general aim of this thesis was to investigate the connection between olfaction, (body) odor disgust, and social attitudes from the perspective of disease avoidance.In Study I, I investigated the relationship between disgust sensitivity to body odors and prejudice. Using an online survey, I found that high levels of BODS were associated with stronger prejudice towards a fictitious refugee group and that this relationship was partially explained by perceiving the group as different in terms of food, hygiene, and sanitary practices. In Study II, I looked at the association between olfactory stimulation, BODS, and implicit bias toward an outgroup. BODS levels were positively related to implicit bias towards an outgroup; however, this bias was not affected by olfactory cues. In Study III, I aimed to see if the relationship between BODS and prejudice generalizes across different cultures and locations. I found that higher BODS levels were associated with more prejudiced attitudes towards a fictitious refugee group across nine countries on all continents. As in Study I, this relationship was partially explained by perceived dissimilarities of the refugees’ norms regarding hygiene and food preparation, and general attitudes toward immigration. In Study IV, I investigated the relationship between the self-reported body odor disgust and perception of real odors, showing that individuals with higher BODS levels perceived smells as more highly valenced overall: unpleasant smells were rated as more unpleasant, and pleasant smells were rated as more pleasant.Overall, the research presented in this thesis supports the idea that there is a link between olfactory disgust and prejudice, which can be explained by disease avoidance behaviors.
|
|
| 23. |
- Zakrzewska, Marta Z., et al.
(författare)
-
Body odour disgust sensitivity is associated with xenophobia : evidence from nine countries across five continents
- 2023
-
Ingår i: Royal Society Open Science. - : The Royal Society Publishing. - 2054-5703. ; 10:4
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Body odour disgust sensitivity (BODS) reflects a behavioural disposition to avoid pathogens, and it may also involve social attitudes. Among participants in the USA, high levels of BODS were associated with stronger xenophobia towards a fictitious refugee group. To test the generalizability of this finding, we analysed data from nine countries across five continents (N = 6836). Using structural equation modelling, we found support for our pre-registered hypotheses: higher BODS levels were associated with more xenophobic attitudes; this relationship was partially explained by perceived dissimilarities of the refugees' norms regarding hygiene and food preparation, and general attitudes toward immigration. Our results support a theoretical notion of how pathogen avoidance is associated with social attitudes: ‘traditional norms’ often involve behaviours that limit inter-group contact, social mobility and situations that might lead to pathogen exposure. Our results also indicate that the positive relationship between BODS and xenophobia is robust across cultures.
|
|
