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Purpose: This study aims to highlight the feasibility of an olfactory training program entirely monitored through online media in COVID-19 patients., Methods: Classic olfactory training was performed with a sample with olfactory loss due COVID-19 ( n = 11). Participants were engaged on a weekly video call in order to improve adherence and collect information regarding the number of correct answers and the individuals' perception of olfactory function. The olfactory status after training was compared to two groups, one composed of participants who contracted COVID-19 but did not report olfactory loss ( n = 11) and a sample composed of healthy participants ( n = 11)., Results: The experimental group showed improvements throughout the training period (TDI score on week 0 was 20.3 (5.6) and 24.6 (4.3) for week 12, and on week 24 was 25.4 (6.2) (F = 5.115, df = 2, 20, p = 0.016), and post hoc tests showed that participants significantly improved their TDI score in W12 compared to W0 (SMD = 0.869, p = 0.041) and in W24 compared to W0 (SMD = 0.859, p = 0.041). The experimental group showed lower scores when compared with both groups, and the no OT COVID-19 group showed lower scores than the healthy control group, even though they did not report olfactory alterations., Conclusions: Findings suggest that the strategies applied to improve adherence were successful since 100% of the sample completed the training adherence, offering a valuable framework for future olfactory training studies.

(1) Background: Persistent COVID is characterized by the presence of fatigue, mental fog, and sleep problems, among others. We aimed to study cognitive abilities (attention, executive functions, memory, language) and psychological and emotional factors in a group of participants of the population with persistent COVID-19 and asymptomatic or non-COVID-19-infected patients; (2) Methods: A total of 86 participants aged 18 to 66 years (X = 46.76) took part in the study, with 57 individuals (66.27%) in the experimental group and 29 (33.73%) in the control group. A comprehensive assessment included neuropsychological evaluations, evaluations of anxious and depressive symptomatology, assessments of the impact of fatigue, sleep quality, memory failures in daily life, and the perceived general health status of the participants; (3) Results: significant differences between groups were found in incidental learning within the Key Numbers task (U = 462.5; p = 0.001; p = 0.022) and in the Direct Digit Span (U = 562; p = 0.022), but not in the Inverse Digit Span (U = 632.5; p = 0.105). Differences were also observed in the prospective memory task of the Rivermead Prospective Memory Tasks (from the Rivermead Behavioural Memory Test) in the recall of quotations (U = 610; p = 0.020) as well as in the recall of objects (U = 681.5; p = 0.032). Concerning the task of verbal fluency, significant differences were found for both phonological cues ( p - and s-) (t = -2.190; p = 0.031) and semantic cues (animals) (t = -2.277; p = 0.025). In terms of the psychological impact assessment, significant differences were found in the emotional impact across all variables studied (fatigue, quality of sleep, memory lapses, and the perceived general health status), except for quality of life; (4) Conclusions: Our results suggest that the sequelae derived from persistent COVID may have an impact on people's lives, with higher levels of anxiety and depression, worse sleep quality, a greater number of subjective memory complaints, and a greater feeling of fatigue and impact on quality of life. Furthermore, poorer performance was observed in memory and verbal fluency.

The Sniffin' Sticks Olfactory Identification Test is a tool for measurement of olfactory performance developed in Germany and validated in several countries. This research aims to develop the Spanish version of the Sniffin' Sticks Olfactory Identification Test and obtain normative values for the Spanish population. The parameters are free recall and subjective intensity of odorants are included. The influence of possible demographic covariates such as sex, age, smoking, or educational level are analyzed, and the items that best discriminate are studied. In addition, the internal structure validity of the blue and purple versions is studied as a parallel measure, and a cultural adaptation of the purple version is carried out. For this, three independent samples of normosmic healthy volunteers were studied. To obtain normative values, the sample was of 417 participants (18-89 years). For the internal structure validity study of both versions, the sample was 226 (18-70 years), and for familiarity of the purple version, the sample was 75 participants (21-79 years). Results indicated that men and women and smokers and non-smokers perform equally. However, differences were found as age progresses, being more pronounced after 60 years old in all three measurements of the identification test. This research also provides the items that best discriminate in the blue version and a cultural adaptation for the purple version. In conclusion, the Sniffin' Sticks Odor Identification Test is a suitable tool for olfactory assessment in the Spanish population. The instrument has been expanded with two new scores, and normative data as a function of age are provided. Its parallel version also seems appropriate for testing, as items have been culturally adapted and evidence of internal structure validity for both versions is reported.

The assessment of olfactory function is becoming increasingly relevant, especially in cases of cognitive decline (i.e., neurodegenerative diseases), where olfactory alterations may be relevant as potential early biomarkers. The Sniffin' Sticks Olfactory Test, developed in Germany and validated in several countries, is an objective measure of olfactory performance. This study aims to validate this test in a Spanish sample. This study included 209 healthy normosmic volunteers (154 females and 55 males) aged between 20 to 79 years (mean age = 50.11 ± 15.18 years) as the normative sample. From this group, 22 participants were retested in order to obtain test-retest reliability evidence. Odor familiarity for descriptors in the olfactory identification test was also studied on an independent healthy sample ( n = 69), and required cultural modifications were applied. Results indicate that men and women, as well as smokers and non-smokers, performed equally in every test. However, significant differences were found between age groups in every score. The general trend is that olfactory function progressively decreases as a function of age, the elderly group (+60 years) being the one with the lowest scores. In conclusion, this normative data, in addition to the test's cultural modifications, allows the Sniffin' Sticks Olfactory Test to be administered on a Spanish population.