Structural connectivity of the human olfactory network and its relation to aging and olfactory function.
Overview
- Aging Research Center, Karolinska Institute and Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
- Centre for Sleep & Cognition & Centre for Translational Magnetic Resonance Research, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Psychology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
- Center for Lifespan Developmental Research (LEADER), School of Behavioral, Social and Legal Sciences, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
Abstract
Impaired olfactory function in older adults is associated with memory decline and is a biomarker of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). However, the structural brain foundation underlying olfactory impairment and its link to memory function remains largely unknown. We address this gap by reconstructing the structural olfactory network, that is, white-matter connections between the primary olfactory cortex (POC) and the whole brain. Through applying multivariate analyses in a population-based sample (n = 137), we investigate the relationships among age, the olfactory network, and olfactory and cognitive function. Our findings reveal that the POC subregions have distinct structural connectivity profiles with the entire brain. Older age was associated with weaker connectivity strength between the POC and nearby regions, suggesting a reorganization of the olfactory network in older adults. Structural connectivity of the olfactory network was associated with behavioral performance in odor identification, episodic memory, and odor threshold, but not processing speed or working memory. Notably, connections including the olfactory tubercle (TUB)-caudate, TUB-amygdala, and olfactory nucleus (AON)-hippocampus were important for both olfaction and episodic memory function, suggesting a common neural basis across cognitive domains. Our study expands on previous research of single brain regions or individual white-matter tracts, uncovering the structural underpinnings of olfactory function at the network level. The results shed light on the common foundation of olfaction and memory dysfunction, an early marker of AD.
Reproduced under the paper's license (CC BY), from the paper cited above.
Code
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The paper's code and data availability statement is in the Data section.
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The data that support the findings of this study are available on request from the corresponding author. Due to data protection concerns, publicly sharing the entire data set underlying this study is not possible at the moment.
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Versions
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Version 1, 30 September 2026: the first record
Recorded: type, language, journal, volume, pages, dates, 3 authors, 6 keywords, 2 funders, 89 references.
Cite
This paper
Li, X., Olofsson, J., & Persson, J. (2026). Structural connectivity of the human olfactory network and its relation to aging and olfactory function. Imaging neuroscience (Cambridge, Mass.), 4, IMAG.a.1181. https://
BibTeX
@article{li2026structura
author = {Li, Xin and Olofsson, Jonas and Persson, Jonas},
title = {{Structural connectivity of the human olfactory network and its relation to aging and olfactory function}},
journal = {Imaging neuroscience (Cambridge, Mass.)},
year = {2026},
month = mar,
volume = {4},
pages = {IMAG.a.1181},
publisher = {MIT Press},
issn = {2837-6056},
doi = {10.1162/
url = {https://
pmid = {41918768},
pmcid = {PMC13034614}
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
AU - Li, Xin
AU - Olofsson, Jonas
AU - Persson, Jonas
TI - Structural connectivity of the human olfactory network and its relation to aging and olfactory function
T2 - Imaging neuroscience (Cambridge, Mass.)
J2 - Imaging Neurosci (Camb)
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/
VL - 4
SP - IMAG.a.1181
SN - 2837-6056
PB - MIT Press
DO - 10.1162/
UR - https://
LA - en
ER -
CSL-JSON
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"family": "Li",
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"publisher": "MIT Press",
"URL": "https://
"language": "en",
"issued": {
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}
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