Olfactory dysfunction in Down's Syndrome.

Down's Syndrome subjects over 40 years old show neuropathology similar to that of Alzheimer's disease. The olfactory system is particularly vulnerable in Alzheimer's disease, both anatomically and functionally. Several measures of sensory and cognitive functioning were studied in the older Down's Syndrome patient, with the hypothesis of significant olfactory dysfunction. Participants were 23 Down's subjects, and 23 controls. The Dementia Rating Scale showed mean scores of 103 for Down's subjects and 141 for controls. Down's subjects showed significant deficits in odor detection threshold, odor identification, and odor recognition memory. Normal performance in a taste threshold task, similar to the olfactory threshold task in subject demands, suggested that the Down's syndrome subjects' poor performance was not due to task demands. Deficits in olfaction may provide a sensitive and early indicator of the deterioration and progression of the brain in older subjects with Down's Syndrome.