Odor Identification Research Articles

Olfactory training: effects of multisensory integration, attention towards odors and physical activity.

Olfactory training (OT) has been shown to be of value in the treatment of olfactory dysfunction. The present study aimed to investigate whether the efficacy of OT could be modulated with multisensory integration, attention towards odors, odor complexity, or physical activity assessed with a questionnaire. One hundred healthy participants were recruited and divided into 4 groups. Except for controls (n = 26, mean age ± SD = 36 ± 15 years) all participants performed OT 4 times a day. In the "video" group (n = 26, age 39 ± 19 years) OT was performed while watching specific and congruent video sequences. In the "counter" group (n = 24, 38 ± 17 years) participants additionally counted the number of odors 1 day per week, and in the "training only" group no additional measures were taken in addition to OT (n = 24, 38 ± 20 years). "Single-molecule" odorants or "complex mixtures" were distributed randomly for training stimulation. Sniffin' sticks tests (odor identification, odor discrimination, and odor threshold), cognitive tests, and a series of scales were measured at both baseline and after 3 months of OT. The degree of physical activity was recorded with a questionnaire. Olfactory function improved in the video and counter groups after OT, especially for odor threshold and discrimination. Yet, odor complexity and the degree of physical activity had limited effects on olfactory improvement after OT. Both multisensory interaction and attention towards odors plus OT appeared to facilitate improvement of olfactory function in healthy individuals compared with OT alone and controls, which could provide new promising treatments for clinical applications.

Proof-of-concept: SCENTinel 1.1 rapidly discriminates COVID-19-related olfactory disorders.

It is estimated that 20%-67% of those with COVID-19 develop olfactory disorders, depending on the SARS-CoV-2 variant. However, there is an absence of quick, population-wide olfactory tests to screen for olfactory disorders. The purpose of this study was to provide a proof-of-concept that SCENTinel 1.1, a rapid, inexpensive, population-wide olfactory test, can discriminate between anosmia (total smell loss), hyposmia (reduced sense of smell), parosmia (distorted odor perception), and phantosmia (odor sensation without a source). Participants were mailed a SCENTinel 1.1 test, which measures odor detection, intensity, identification, and pleasantness, using one of 4 possible odors. Those who completed the test (N = 287) were divided into groups based on their self-reported olfactory function: quantitative olfactory disorder only (anosmia or hyposmia, N = 135), qualitative olfactory disorder only (parosmia and/or phantosmia; N = 86), and normosmia (normal sense of smell; N = 66). SCENTinel 1.1 accurately discriminates quantitative olfactory disorders, qualitative olfactory disorders, and normosmia groups. When olfactory disorders were assessed individually, SCENTinel 1.1 discriminates between hyposmia, parosmia, and anosmia. Participants with parosmia rated common odors less pleasant than those without parosmia. We provide proof-of-concept that SCENTinel 1.1, a rapid smell test, can discriminate quantitative and qualitative olfactory disorders, and is the only direct test to rapidly discriminate parosmia.

Normative data for the Vietnamese smell identification test

IntroductionThe 12-item Vietnamese smell identification test (VSIT) has been developed to evaluate the olfactory function of the Vietnamese population. This study aimed to investigate the normative value of the VSIT in different age groups and sexes. MethodsThis cross-sectional study was conducted at Ho Chi Minh University Medical Center, Vietnam. All participants were evaluated for odor identification ability using the VSIT.We included healthy participants aged 18 years or older with no history of olfactory disturbances. ResultsA total of 391 healthy volunteers were recruited with a mean age of 45.80 years (SD: 17.62; range: 18–86; female: 63.4 %). The tenth percentile of scores on the 0–12 VSIT scale was 8.3 in participants aged 18–29 years, 9.0 in 30–39 years, 8.0 in 40–49 years, 7.8 in 50–59 years, 7.9 in 60–69 years and 6.0 in over 70 years. Young adults (18–39 years old) had better olfactory identification ability than older adults (over 50 years), p < 0.001. There was a significant main effect of sex on VSIT score (p = 0.02), suggesting that females outperformed males. Sensitivity to 8 odors were negatively correlated with age: lemon, garlic, banana, coffee, mango, guava, apple and watermelon (p < 0.05 in all cases) whereas four odors were age-independent including orange, fish sauce, soy sauce, and fish. ConclusionNormative data provide guidance for assessing individual olfactory function. However, there were significant sex and age effects on olfactory identification scores on the VSIT. Therefore, future studies should be conducted to better adjust for those confounders mentioned above.

Olfaction and Gustation in Children With Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia.

Primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder whereby abnormal cilia cause a wide array of respiratory tract manifestations including chronic rhinosinusitis. The purpose of this study was to determine whether olfaction and gustation are impaired in children with PCD. Cross-sectional study. Tertiary pediatric academic hospital. Children with confirmed PCD based on having at least 1 of 3 approved diagnostic criteria as per The American Thoracic Society guidelines were recruited from The PCD Clinic in our tertiary care pediatric hospital. Odor identification ability was tested using the Universal Sniff (U-Sniff) test and taste threshold was measured using an electrogustometer. The main outcome of this study is to determine the incidence of olfactory dysfunction in children with PCD and investigate if there is an associated gustatory dysfunction. Twenty-five children participated (14 male, 11 female), The median age was 10.8 years (range: 4.1-17.9 years). Only 4/25 (16%) complained of olfactory dysfunction prior to testing. None of the patients complained of dysgeusia. However, 48% (12/25) scored less than 7 on the U-Sniff, signifying hyposmia or anosmia. In contrast, scores obtained by electrogustometry were in the normal range. There was no correlation between performance on the U-Sniff and electrogustometry testing. Olfactory impairment in children with PCD is common but underrecognized by patients. This is not associated with abnormal gustation. Among other, this places children with PCD at an increased risk with respect to smelling a fire or detecting spoiled or poisonous food.

Identification of the key off-flavor odorants for undesirable spoiled odor in thermally sterilized fermented soymilk

Spoiled odors are a problem in thermally sterilized fermented soymilk. This study aims to clarify production conditions and key odorants of spoiled odors. The sensory evaluation showed that thermal sterilization caused a decrease in the sensory intensity of yogurt and fruity odors while significantly increasing undesirable aromas including beany, acidic, cooked-beans and spoiled odors. The spoiled odors increased with increasing acidity and heating temperatures. The strongest spoiled odor was observed in fermented soymilk at titratable acidity of 5.4 g/kg, sterilized at 90 °C. Apart from common volatiles that were inherent in soymilk and generated from lactic fermentation, 2-methyltetrahydrothiophen-3-one was found for the first time in soybean foods and was found to cause the spoiled odor. 44 volatiles found in thermally sterilized fermented soymilk were jointly formed its flavor wheel. This study provides important theoretical support for solving the problem of spoiled odor restricting the popularization of plant-based fermented soymilk.

Olfactory Training Impacts Olfactory Dysfunction Induced by COVID-19: A Pilot Study

Introduction: Olfactory dysfunction is one of the main symptoms of COVID-19 and may last beyond resolution of the infection. The most promising intervention for post-viral olfactory dysfunction is olfactory training (OT), which involves exposing the olfactory system to a range of odors daily. This approach is thought of promoting the regeneration of olfactory receptor cells, but its effectiveness in patients with post-COVID-19 olfactory dysfunction has yet to be confirmed. Methods: This double-blind randomized pilot study compared the effectiveness of OT versus placebo in the treatment of post-COVID-19 olfactory dysfunction. Twenty-five participants were recruited in each group. OT protocol consisted of sniffing 4 scents (rose, orange, clove, and eucalyptus) for 5 min twice daily for 12 weeks. Olfactory function was assessed before and after the training using (1) a validated odor identification test (UPSIT-40) and (2) a 10-point visual analog scale; we further assessed the presence of (3) parosmia. Results: While we did not observe any effect of OT on olfactory test scores, we observed a significant improvement of subjective olfactory function in the intervention group, while no such effect was observed in the placebo group. Finally, the frequency of parosmia was significantly lower in the intervention group. Conclusions: This study highlights an increase in subjective but not objective olfactory function when performing OT for 12 weeks. Further, parosmia seems to be positively affected by OT. These results may serve as a starting point for larger scale studies to assess the efficacy of OT for treatment of post-COVID-19 olfactory dysfunction.

Smell and taste disorders in pregnant women with COVID-19

Background. Smell disorder is a recognized clinical symptom of COVID-19 infection. The problem of the loss of sense of smell in the structure of COVID-19 pathogenesis during pregnancy remains unresolved. The aim of the study. To determine the sense of smell and taste in pregnant women with COVID-19, as well as to evaluate the relationship between the sense of smell and the number of SARS-CoV-2 genome equivalents in the nasopharyngeal secretion. Material and methods. In the case-control study, 121 pregnant women participated: 40 of them were infected with COVID-19; 81 were not infected with COVID-19 earlier and at the time of the study. The survey was conducted in July 2021. Sense of smell was assessed using the Connecticut Chemosensory Clinical Research Center (CCCRC) olfactory test, which includes olfactory threshold determination and odor identification assessment. Taste was measured according to the O. Massarelli method. Viral load was calculated using a standardized method for determining the numberof SARS-CoV-2 RNA copies in 1 ml of nasopharyngeal secretion. Results. The incidence of olfactory disorders (moderate / severe and anosmia) in pregnant women with COVID-19 is 62.5 % compared to 22.23 % among pregnant women who have never had COVID-19 (p = 0.002). No significant taste disorders were identified. The threshold value for the manifestation of olfactory disorders was 17794 RNA copies of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which corresponds to the 37th threshold cycle (Ct). Conclusion. During pregnancy in the acute phase of COVID-19, sense of smell is significantly impaired, but not sense of taste. Decreased sense of smell is associated with SARS-CoV-2 viral load.

Associations of Olfaction With Longitudinal Trajectories of Brain Volumes and Neuropsychological Function in Older Adults.

Olfactory function declines with aging, and olfactory deficits are one of the earliest features of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson disease and Alzheimer disease. Previous studies have shown that olfaction is associated with brain volumes and cognitive function, but data are exclusively cross-sectional. We aimed to examine longitudinal associations of olfaction with changes in brain volumes and neuropsychological function. In the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging, we chose the first assessment of olfaction to examine the associations with retrospective and prospective changes in neuropsychological performance and brain volumes in participants aged 50 years or older using linear mixed-effects models, adjusted for demographic variables and cardiovascular disease. Olfaction was measured as odor identification scores through the 16-item Sniffin' Sticks. We analyzed data from 567 (58% women, 42% men, 27% Black, 66% White, and 7% others) participants who had data on odor identification scores and brain volumetric MRI (n = 420 with retrospective repeats over a mean of 3.7 years, n = 280 with prospective repeats over a mean of 1.2 years). We also analyzed data from 754 participants (56% women, 44% men, 29% Black, 65% White, and 6% others) with neuropsychological assessments (n = 630 with retrospective repeats over a mean of 6.6 years, n = 280 with prospective repeats over a mean of 1.5 years). After adjustment, higher odor identification scores were associated with prior and subsequent slower brain atrophy in the entorhinal cortex (β ± SE = 0.0093 ± 0.0031, p = 0.0028 and β ± SE = 0.0176 ± 0.0073, p = 0.0169, respectively), hippocampus (β ± SE = 0.0070 ± 0.0030, p = 0.0192 and β ± SE = 0.0173 ± 0.0066, p = 0.0089, respectively), and additional frontal and temporal areas (all p < 0.05). Higher odor identification scores were also associated with prior slower decline in memory, attention, processing speed, and manual dexterity and subsequent slower decline in attention (all p < 0.05). Some associations were attenuated after exclusion of data points at and after symptom onset of cognitive impairment or dementia. In older adults, olfaction is related to brain atrophy of specific brain regions and neuropsychological changes in specific domains over time. The observed associations are driven, in part, by those who developed cognitive impairment or dementia. Future longitudinal studies with longer follow-ups are needed to understand whether olfactory decline precedes cognitive decline and whether it is mediated through regionally specific brain atrophy.

Odor identification and discrimination as markers of early Alzheimer’s disease

AbstractBackgroundReliable markers are essential in order to achieve accurate diagnosis in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Olfactory impairment has been identified as a possible non‐invasive biomarker of AD. Odor identification tasks are most commonly used for measuring olfactory abilities. However, odor identification is associated to verbal abilities and cultural context. The aim of this study was to determine whether odor discrimination could be a valid marker of early AD.Method65 participants were enrolled in the study. 26 patients with mild cognitive impairment due to AD (MCI‐AD), 26 patients with mild dementia due to AD (MD‐AD) and 13 cognitively normal elderly subjects (CN). All participants underwent cognitive examination (MMSE, CDR, ADAS‐Cog 13, fluency tests) and olfactory function assessment (Burghart Sniffin’ Sticks odor identification and odor discrimination tests).ResultMD‐AD and MCI‐AD subjects performed significantly worse than CN subjects in both odor identification (mean correct responses ± SD was 6.77±1.91; 9.08±2.30; 13.31±1.55 respectively; p&lt;0.001) and odor discrimination (mean correct responses ± SD was 6.27±1.66; 8.19±1.65; 12.92±1.71 respectively; p&lt;0.001) tests. MD‐AD subjects performed significantly worse than MCI‐AD subjects in both odor identification (p&lt;0.05) and odor discrimination (p&lt;0.001) tests.Both odor identification and odor discrimination tests had AUC&gt;0.9 on ROC analysis for differentiating MCI‐AD subjects from CN subjects (AUC 0.938 and 0.982) and for differentiating MD‐AD subjects from CN subjects (AUC 0.99 for both). Neither odor identification, nor odor discrimination test reached AUC&gt;0.8 on ROC analysis for differentiating MCI‐AD from MD‐AD subjects (AUC 0.777 and 0.793).Odor identification differentiated MCI‐AD from CN subjects with sensitivity of 69% and specificity of 100% at cut‐off score of ≤10 correct responses. Odor discrimination differentiated MCI‐AD from CN subjects with sensitivity of 77% and specificity of 100% at cut‐off score of ≤9 correct responses.ConclusionThe study confirmed that tests for olfactory dysfunction can reliably differentiate patients with mild cognitive impairment due to AD from cognitively normal subjects. Both odor identification and discrimination are reliable markers for identification of patients with early Alzheimer’s disease.

Intact olfactory and cognitive abilities predict lack of transition to dementia in a biracial sample of older adults

AbstractBackgroundOdor identification deficits predict transition to dementia, whereas intact odor identification and global cognition may identify lack of transition. The purpose of this study is to examine intact odor identification and global cognitive functioning as prognostic indicators of lack of transition to dementia in a well‐characterized biracial (Black and White) cohort.MethodIn a community‐dwelling sample of 2,270 older adults without dementia participating in the Health, Aging, and Body Composition (Health ABC) study, odor identification was measured using the Cross‐Cultural Smell Identification Test (BSIT) and global cognition was measured using the Teng Modified Mini‐Mental Status Examination (3MS), both in Year 3. Incident dementia was defined by diagnosis in medical/hospital records or prescription of anti‐Alzheimer’s disease medications. Survival analyses for dementia transition over 4 years and 8 years were conducted using Cox proportional‐hazards models.ResultSurvival analyses adjusted for demographic and medical covariates indicated that impaired odor identification (hazard ratio [HR] = 2.17, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.5‐3.1) and global cognition (HR = 2.75, 95% CI = 1.8‐4.3) each independently predicted transition to dementia (n = 287). Odor identification interacted with ApoE genotype, such that the effect of impaired odor identification on dementia transition risk was significantly greater in ApoE e4 carriers (HR = 4.0) than noncarriers (HR = 1.6). This interaction was significant for White participants, though not for Black participants. Among participants with intact odor identification (BSIT ≥ 11/12 correct) and global cognition (3MS ≥ 77/100 correct), 6.4% (49/765) transitioned to dementia over 8 years of follow‐up. Only 0.9% (4/451) of participants aged 70–75 with intact performance on both measures transitioned to dementia over 4 years of follow‐up.ConclusionOdor identification testing paired with global cognitive screening identified individuals at low risk for transition to dementia in a biracial community cohort with this decrease in risk being pronounced in the seventh to eighth decade of life. Identification of such individuals can obviate the need for extensive investigation to establish a diagnosis and has potential for screening participants for clinical trials.

Non-consumptive effects of predation risk on prey population regulations: empirical evidence from the invasive spider mite Tetranychus ludeni

Tetranychus ludeni Zacher is an invasive pest from Europe. It infests more than 300 plant species, including many economically important crops such as bean Phaseolus vulgaris L. (Fabales: Fabaceae), eggplant Solanum melongena L. (Solanales: Solanaceae), and many other cucurbitaceous plants. Gotoh et al. (2015) predict that this species could replace T. urticae to become a major crop pest in the world. It is often assumed that the success of biological control using predators is achieved through direct predation. However, it is still largely unknown whether predation risk could contribute to the effectiveness of prey biological control. In the present study we investigated the effects of cues from the predatory mite Phytoseiulus persimilis and killed T. ludeni on life history traits and offspring fitness of T. ludeni, providing novel knowledge for evaluation of the non-consumptive contribution to the biological control of T. ludeni and for future development of new spider mite control methods using these cues. We demonstrated that the cues from the predators and killed prey shortened the longevity by more than 23% and oviposition period by more than 35% and reduced the number of eggs laid by more than 31% in T. ludeni females. These cues also significantly reduced the intrinsic rate of increase and net population growth rate and prolonged the time to double the population size. Furthermore, in response to predator cues females significantly delayed their lifetime production of daughters and laid significantly smaller eggs. Offspring from predator-exposed mothers developed significantly more slowly. Our findings strongly suggest that the non-consumptive mortality caused by cues from both predators and killed prey can significantly reduce prey fitness, suppressing their population and lowering their damage to crops. The earlier prey death caused by these cues could result from the energic costs of natural enemy avoidance (Luong et al. 2017), decrease of foraging rate or food intake (Hermann &amp; Thaler 2014) and increase of oxidative damage (Janssens &amp; Stoks 2013). The present study partially supports previous reports that non-consumptive impacts of predation risk on prey are transgenerational (Tariel et al. 2020). Our study provides critical information for evaluation of biological control effectiveness using predators and paves the way for identification of chemical odors from the predator and killed prey and development of new materials and methods for the control of spider mite pests.

Olfactory training assists in olfactory recovery after sinonasal surgery.

Olfactory dysfunction is a common complaint in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). The study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of olfactory training (OT) in patients with CRS after sinonasal surgery. We enrolled 111 patients with CRS who underwent sinonasal surgery. Prior to surgery and 3months after starting OT, the participants were assessed by both an olfactory function test and endoscopy. The Korean version of the Sniffin' Stick II (KVSS-II) was used to perform the olfactory function test. Over the course of 3months, five odorants were used in OT (rose, lemon, cinnamon, orange, and peach). Over a 12-week duration, 37% of the participants in the OT group showed clinically relevant increase in olfactory function. The OT group had significantly higher olfactory outcomes for the total KVSS-II and identification scores than the non-OT group between the initial and follow-up assessments. The initial score influenced the degree of olfactory improvement after OT. Patients with OT exhibited significantly higher total KVSS-II scores compared with non-OT patients following sinonasal surgery; in particular, the odor identification score was different between the two groups. The results of this study demonstrated that a 12-week period of repeated short-term exposure to various odors could be useful in enhancing olfactory activity in patients who underwent sinonasal surgery for the improvement of sensory-neural olfactory impairment. 2c.

Feasibility of a culture-specific Moroccan Smell Identification Test (MoroSIT): a proposal using the case of Parkinson disease

Introduction: Olfactory problems are frequent in Parkinson disease. Their early onset relative to motor problems makes them a potential biomarker for the disease, yet no culture-specific standardized tests exist in Morocco. Aim: To use indigenous plant extracts generated in our laboratory to investigate olfactory impairment in patients with Parkinson disease. Method: Our study is a cross-sectional case-controlled analytical investigation in a group of 69 patients with Parkinson disease and another group of 66 healthy volunteers in order to assess odor threshold, odor identification, and odor discrimination in these two groups using Mentha pulegium and Lavandula latifolia extracts. Results: We found a marked decrease of the threshold of odor detection in patients compared to controls (p&lt;0.001). A statistically significant difference was found between the ability to discriminate odors, with more patients with Parkinson disease unable to distinguish between odors (p&lt;0.001). For the odor identification test, 70% of control subjects versus 36% of patients were able to correctly identify the test products. The difference was statistically significant (p&lt;0.001). Conclusions: Our study points to the potential for the elaboration of a standardized smell identification screening battery using indigenous products with which patients are familiar.

Mania associated olfactory dysfunction: A comparison between bipolar subjects in mania and remission

ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to assess the olfactory functions of patients with bipolar disorder in manic phase and to compare them to those of bipolar subjects in remission and healthy controls. MethodsWe recruited 96 participants divided in 3 groups: bipolar mania (MB), euthymic bipolar in remission (EB) and healthy controls (HC). All participants underwent an assessment of their olfactory functions using the Sniffin’ sticks threshold and identification tests. Odors' pleasantness, intensity, familiarity and emotion were assessed. All participants were screened for the presence of psychiatric disorder through the MINI questionnaire. Clinical evaluation explored dimensions of mania, depression, anxiety respectively through YMRS, MADRS and STAI scales. Anhedonia was explored through the Chapman physical and social anhedonia questionnaire. ResultsPatients in mania had deficits in identifying positive smells compared to bipolar subjects in remission and to healthy controls (MB < EB < HC; p < 0.001). Hedonic (MB < EB = HC; p < 0.001) and emotional (MB < EB = HC; p < 0.001) ratings of positive smells were lower in patients in manic phase compared to remitted subjects or controls. Mania was associated to higher emotion rating of negative smells compared to remitted subjects and controls (MB > EB = HC; p < 0.001). There was no difference between the 3 groups in the ratings of intensity and familiarity of smells, as well as in the olfactory threshold testing. The 3 groups showed no difference in the identification of negative smells. ConclusionsPatients in manic episodes showed deficits in identifying positive odors. They evaluated these smells as less pleasant and less emotional compared to remitted bipolar subjects and healthy controls. These olfactory dysfunctions may constitute potential indicators of manic state. The persistence of olfactory dysfunction in remission phase (deficit in the olfactory identification of positive odors compared to healthy controls) may constitute a potential trait indicator of bipolarity.

Chemosensory Functions After Glossectomy-A Cross-Sectional Pilot Study.

To evaluate potential interactions and compensatory mechanisms of subjectively impaired taste function with ortho- and retronasal olfaction after glossectomy. In this cross-sectional pilot study, chemosensory functions were assessed in 25 patients with tongue carcinomas after glossectomy. The orthonasal-, retronasal-, and gustatory functions were tested with a mean time of 25 months after surgery with the Sniffin' Sticks odor identification test kit (ISST), the Candy Smell-27 test (CST-27) and the Taste strip test (TST). Visual analog scales (VAS) were additionally used for self-assessment of taste, flavor perception, and odor ranging from 0 (no perception) to 10 (excellent perception) and further correlated with our psychophysical evaluated outcome measures. The TST, ISST, and CST-27 tests revealed that only eight (32%) and 13 (52%) glossectomy patients had normal taste and orthonasal function, e 21 (84%) patients showed normal retronasal function. Importantly, neither extent of resection and reconstruction nor prior radiotherapy affected chemosensory functions. Contrary, 20 (80%) patients rated their taste and flavor perception as acceptable (VAS >5). Results of the TST, ISST, and CST-27 tests did not correlate with the equivalent self-assessments of taste (p=0.260, r=0.234), odor (p=0.588, r=-0.114), and flavor (p=0.728, r=0.073) perception. There was a significant discrepancy between self-perception of taste and flavor and assessed gustatory function after glossectomy. A contribution of the intact retronasal olfactory system could be a possible explanation of our results. 4 Laryngoscope, 133:375-382, 2023.

Olfactory rehabilitation via retronasal olfaction using atracheoesophageal voice prosthesis after total laryngectomy. German version

Despite the variety of existing methods for olfactory rehabilitation after total laryngectomy, olfactory disability remains one of the main factors limiting quality of life for laryngectomees. Considering theneed for asocially acceptable rehabilitation method that is suitable for everyday use, this study sought to elucidate whether retronasal olfaction during phonation through atracheoesophageal voice prosthesis is possible. The odor identification of 22laryngectomees was assessed using the Sniffin' Sticks test battery (12 odors), while performing an established method of olfactory rehabilitation-"polite yawning"-or while transnasal expiration or phonation through the tracheoesophageal fistula (TF). To facilitate the latter, anovel Expiratory Nasal Airflow M‑Maneuver (ENAMM) was developed. All 21non-anosmic laryngectomees included in the study were able to identify odors retronasally. While only 6of 22patients (27.3%) could perform the nasal expiration through the TF, all patients could easily perform phonation using ENAMM after proper instruction. The odor identification scores with the ENAMM technique did not statistically differ from ones with "polite yawning" (5.4 ± 3.1 vs. 6.4 ± 3.2, p = 0.279). The ENAMM was easy to learn and showed atendency of increasing olfactory scores over time, possibly due to a learning effect. Study results show that retronasal olfaction using avoice prosthesis after total laryngectomy is possible and suggest the potential of ENAMM as amethod of olfactory rehabilitation for laryngectomy patients.

Quality of life and olfactory outcomes following frontal sinus drill-out procedures

ObjectiveExtensive endoscopic frontal sinus surgery requires drilling of the bone close to the olfactory epithelium and exposing the first olfactory fiber. This study assesses long-term quality of life (QoL) and olfactory outcomes following endoscopic endonasal frontal sinus drill-out procedures. MethodsAll patients who underwent endoscopic endonasal frontal sinus surgery (Draf IIa or Draf III) for chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) without nasal polyp in 2017 at a single tertiary center were included in the study. Pre- and postoperative scores of SNOT-22, odor identification, discrimination, and threshold were noted. ResultsOf the 31 patients included in this study, Draf IIa and Draf III were performed in 12 (38.7 %) and 19 (61.3 %) patients, respectively. A general assessment of QoL changes was carried out by evaluating pre- and postoperative SNOT-22 scores. A statistically significant difference was found between pre- and postoperative SNOT scores (p < 0.001): SNOT scores decreased by 9.13 units postoperatively. Comparing differences in SNOT-22 and olfactory test scores between Draf IIa and Draf III patients, we did not detect any statistically significant difference between the two procedures (p > 0.05). Draf IIa and Draf III did not display a statistically significant difference in SNOT-22 scores (p = 0.484) and did not have a significant effect on differences in pre- and postoperative identification (p = 0.675), discrimination (p = 0.535), and threshold (p = 0.141) scores. ConclusionsOur study demonstrated that extensive drill-out procedures have not a negative effect on olfactory functions, including threshold scores, in the long term. Patients who underwent frontal sinus procedures for persistent CRS have a better QoL postoperatively. However, more prospective double-blind studies are needed to support our results.

A Pilot Study of Self-Rated and Psychophysical Olfactory Dysfunction in Men Living with HIV.

Olfactory loss is associated with poor quality of life, malnutrition, and increased risk of depression, yet few studies have examined unawareness of olfactory dysfunction in men living with HIV (MLWH). MLWH (n = 51) completed olfaction self-ratings, psychophysical odor identification testing, cognitive measures, and questionnaires assessing smell habits, mood, cognitive failures, and quality of life. The sensitivity and specificity of olfactory self-ratings was calculated, and t-tests were used to examine factors contributing to discordance between self-rated and psychophysical olfaction dysfunction. We found that 33.3% (17 of 51 MLWH) of our sample demonstrated discordance between self-reported and psychophysical olfactory scores. Those unaware of olfaction dysfunction reported using less scented products in daily life but showed no other differences across demographic, clinical, or cognitive indices. Our results cohere with prior studies of cognitively normal older adults, traumatic brain injury, and Parkinson's disease, which found that olfactory self-ratings may inadequately capture the full range of a person's olfactory status. Our work extends these findings to MLWH, with discordance rates ranging from 35 to 61% for self-rated and psychophysical olfactory dysfunction. Given the differing rates of self-rated and psychophysical olfaction in our sample, psychophysical olfactory measures may be useful to consider in the neuropsychological assessment and clinical care of PLWH. The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12078-022-09305-x.

Odor identification testing is inferior compared to neurocognitive testing in predicting conversion to Alzheimer's Disease

IntroductionAlzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder that affects memory, thinking, attention, and emotion or AD. Smelling problems are frequent symptoms of dementia. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether it is possible to predict if someone with anosmia or hyposmia has a higher risk of getting dementia or even AD.MethodsThis study was a retrospective longitudinal study, and the data used were part of a larger research project, the Vienna Conversion to Dementia Study. The 173 participants were divided into four groups based on cognitive features such as healthy control (HC), subjective cognitive decline (SCD), non-amnestic mild cognitive impairment (naMCI), and amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI). Olfactory assessment and neurocognitive assessment were administered.ResultsWe found that 30.5% of aMCI patients converted into AD after an average of about two years. The corresponding ROC analyses for olfactory testing showed that Sniffin’ Sticks revealed significant results regarding the conversion to AD, whereas the Assessment of Self-Reported Olfactory Functioning and olfaction-related quality of life (ASOF) inventory using the Subjective Olfactory Capability (SOC) subscale, the Smell-Related Problems (SRP) subscale, and the Olfaction-Related Quality of life (ORQ) did not. A logistic regression showed that among the olfactory test procedures, only the Sniffin’ Sticks enabled a relevant prognosis. Including neurocognitive measures in the model, only VSRT and the Trail Making Test-B. The other predictors did not contribute to the prediction of conversion to AD.ConclusionUnlike self-reporting of olfactory functioning, olfactory testing using standardized tests may have potential for predicting dementia, especially AD. However, olfactory tests have lower predictive power than neurocognitive tests such as verbal memory and divided attention tests.ImplicationsDiagnostic tools for predicting dementia as accurately and early as possible are important. Olfactory assessment, compared to neurocognitive tests for verbal memory and divided attention, is inferior in predicting the prognosis of AD.

Management of post-COVID olfactory disorder: Is olfactory training effective on recovery of olfactory mucosal function?

BACKGROUND: The number of patients presenting with sudden onset and persistant anosmia and other olfactory disorders, which is a finding related to coronavirus disease has been increased considerably. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the efficacy of olfactory training in patients with persistent anosmia after Covid-19 infection.&#x0D; METHODS: Forty-six patients who applied for sudden loss of smell after Covid-19 infection and still had olfactory disorders were included in the study. Odor threshold and odor identification tests were performed on the patients before the treatment. As olfactory training, 4 scent bottles included the following groups: phenyl ethyl alcohol, eucalyptol group, citronellal group and eugenol group were given to patients and patients instructed to sniff the odors twice a day, for 5 seconds each, when they woke up in the morning and before they went to sleep and make a daily check that they applied the treatment. Patients who continued the training for 12 weeks were re-evaluated with the odor threshold test and odor identification test.&#x0D; RESULTS: The pre-training mean olfactory threshold score of the patients was 1.65±1.74, and the post-training mean olfactory threshold score was 3.89±2.73. It was observed that the olfactory threshold scores increased significantly after the olfactory training (p