Abstract
Background: The sense of smell has been recently recognized as one of the most important sensory features in the human being, representing a reliable biomarker for a number of clinical conditions. The relationship between olfactory function and the person’s attitude towards food has frequently been investigated, often using questionnaires. The administration of minimally invasive methods for characterizing autonomic nervous system (ANS) functionality could help in objectivizing such measurements. Methods: The present study assessed ANS activation through the analysis of the electrocardiogram (ECG) and galvanic skin response (GSR) signals, in response to olfactory stimuli using non-invasive wearable devices. The ANS activation was also studied with respect to the odor familiarity, as well as with other olfactory and food dimensions (e.g., odor identification, odor pleasantness, food neophobia). Results: We demonstrated a significant activation of the ANS, in particular of its sympathetic branch, during the olfactory stimulation, with the ECG signal seen as more sensitive to detect ANS response to moderate olfactory stimuli rather than the GSR. Conclusions: When applied to a greater number of subjects, or to specific groups of patients, this methodology could represent a promising, reliable addition to diagnostic methods currently used in clinical settings.
Highlights
Smell is one of the five human senses and, together with taste, it has a central role in guiding food choices
Exclusion criteria were: age > 50, presence of cardiovascular or neurological pathologies, complete or partial reduction of the olfactory function, history of head trauma, allergy and respiratory problems, as well as the unwillingness to provide signed informed consent. Such criteria were applied to carry out research on a somewhat uniform study population, to avoid possible biases concerning the autonomic response to the stimuli proposed, and to avoid issues connected with the sensory perception studied
The results obtained by the present study, conducted on healthy volunteers, demonstrated significant modifications of the parameters related to the autonomic nervous system (ANS) in response to food-like odors
Summary
Smell is one of the five human senses and, together with taste, it has a central role in guiding food choices. The olfactory modality is known to be both evolutionarily and functionally linked to food [1], with odors having a significant effect on both psychological and physiological parameters connected to eating behavior, including, for example, salivation and overfeeding [2,3,4]. Methods: The present study assessed ANS activation through the analysis of the electrocardiogram (ECG) and galvanic skin response (GSR) signals, in response to olfactory stimuli using non-invasive wearable devices. The ANS activation was studied with respect to the odor familiarity, as well as with other olfactory and food dimensions (e.g., odor identification, odor pleasantness, food neophobia). Conclusions: When applied to a greater number of subjects, or to specific groups of patients, this methodology could represent a promising, reliable addition to diagnostic methods currently used in clinical settings
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