Olfactory Training and Depressive Symptoms in Older Adults: A Randomized Placebo‐Controlled Trial With Exploratory Evidence in Moderate Depression

Abstract

ABSTRACT The risk of developing depressive symptoms increases with age. The following study aimed to verify if olfactory training may relieve symptoms of depression in the older population. Older participants ( N = 101, M age = 72.6, SD = 5.44, 88% women) participated in this study. The experimental group underwent 12‐week olfactory training with four scented felt‐tip pens containing eugenol (scent of cloves), phenylethyl alcohol (rose), eucalyptol (eucalyptus), and citronellal (lemon). The placebo group performed the same training regimen with odorless Sniffin' Sticks. Depressive symptoms were measured before and after the training with the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ‐9). The analysis did not show a statistically significant effect of olfactory training on depressive symptoms in the overall sample of older individuals. However, we found promising preliminary evidence for the effectiveness of olfactory training to relieve depressive symptoms in the subsample ( N = 20) of older individuals with baseline moderate depression.