Alzheimer's disease and olfactory dysfunction: A 20-year systematic bibliometric and genomic analysis.

Abstract

With the acceleration of global population aging, early diagnosis and intervention of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other neurodegenerative disorders have become major public health challenges. Olfactory dysfunction (OD) is increasingly recognized as one of the earliest clinical manifestations of AD, highlighting the importance of understanding the relationship between AD and olfactory impairment. This study integrates bibliometric analysis and genomic approaches to systematically characterize global research trends and explore potential molecular mechanisms underlying AD and OD from 2006 to 2025. Publications related to AD and OD were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection, and bibliometric analyses were performed using CiteSpace and VOSviewer, with results further validated through the Scopus database. A total of 1412 publications were identified, demonstrating sustained growth over the past two decades and a rapid expansion phase after 2019. The United States and China were the leading contributors in publication output and international collaboration, although research development remained geographically uneven. Keyword analysis revealed a gradual transition from behavioral and pathological investigations toward early diagnosis, biomarker discovery, therapeutic exploration, and advanced technologies. Genomic analysis identified 1838 shared genes between AD and OD, with key hub genes including AKT1, INS, and ALB involved in common biological pathways associated with neuronal function, cognitive regulation, and olfactory system homeostasis. This study provides a comprehensive overview of the evolving research landscape of AD and OD, identifies emerging trends and potential molecular targets, and offers valuable insights for early screening, mechanistic investigation, and translational research in neurodegenerative diseases.