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Low parotid saliva calmodulin in patients with taste and smell dysfunction.

Parotid saliva calmodulin was found both in 32 normal volunteers and in 60 patients with taste and smell dysfunction; salivary calmodulin concentration was significantly lower in the patients than in the volunteers. There were no differences in salivary calmodulin concentration with respect to age, sex, or salivary flow rate in either normal volunteers or patients. When patients were categorized by diagnosis, calmodulin concentration was found to be decreased in all patient groups. The concentration of calmodulin in saliva was about 10 times that found in serum, suggesting that the parotid gland is a major source of this protein.

Adult↗

Olfactory deficits in schizophrenia are not a function of task complexity.

The purpose of the current study was to determine if olfactory identification deficits in patients with schizophrenia were related to task complexity. Given that we had previously reported that male patients with schizophrenia are the most impaired on olfactory identification tests (the University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test, UPSIT), we wished to determine whether a similar deficit would exist for this group on a task of similar format and complexity, the Colour Identification Test (CIT). Sixty-five neuroleptically medicated patients with a DSM-III-R diagnosis of schizophrenia and 30 normal control subjects participated. The dependent measures were scores on the UPSIT and CIT. Overall, patients with schizophrenia had significantly lower USPIT scores than did the normal control subjects whereas no mean difference was observed for colour identification. Male patients with schizophrenia had olfactory identification deficits but performed comparably to all other groups on the CIT. Furthermore, microsmic patients with schizophrenia had CIT scores that did not differ from normal control subjects. Finally, CIT and UPSIT scores were not significantly correlated for the study sample as a whole. The results of this study suggest that the olfactory identification deficits observed in patients with schizophrenia likely reflect abnormalities of brain areas involved in olfactory pathways and are not a function of task complexity.

Adolescent↗

Estrogen-receptor occurrence in the female mouse brain: effects of maternal experience, ovariectomy, estrogen and anosmia.

Maternal behavior (ultrasound-induced pup-searching and retrieving) was studied in eight groups of female house mice with various hormonal backgrounds, experience with pups and function of the olfactory system. In their brains, estrogen receptor immunoreactive (ER-IR) cells were localized and quantified. All animals of all groups had ER-IR cells in a 'reliable subset' of brain areas, the medial preoptic area (MPOA) and ventromedial (VMH) and arcuate nucleus (ARH) of the hypothalamus. In another subset of brain areas, the anterior hypothalamic area (AHA) and cortical (CA) and medial (MA) amygdaloid nucleus, ER-IR cells can be expected in at least some animals of all experimental groups ('expected subset'). In a variable subset of additional brain areas (bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, BNST; suprachiasmatic nucleus, SC; lateral septal nuclei, LS; paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus, PVH; entorhinal and piriform cortex, ENT, PIR; subiculum, SUB; hippocampus, HPC; periventricular gray of the midbrain, PVG), ER-IR cells occurred only in some animals of some groups. Numbers of ER-IR cells in a given brain area, volumes occupied by these cells, and cell densities varied considerably among the groups. A covariation of cell counts and volumes was significant for most brain areas indicating that increases of numbers of ER-IR cells relate mainly to volume increases within a given brain area. Experience with pups correlated with an increase of ER presence in the AHA, VMH, ENT, PIR, SUB, HPC and PVG, however, only in the presence of estrogen. Estrogen and pup-experience together led to an increased ER presence in mainly the VMH, ENT and PIR, however, only in females with intact olfaction. Full maternal behavior (retrieving, ultrasound recognition) occurred after the high pregnancy- or experience-induced ER content was reduced to lower levels. The ER occurrence in lactating and experienced virgin females differed, however, in the AHA, BNST, SC, PVH, ENT, PIR, SUB, HPC and PVG showing that the maintenance of maternal behavior can run under different profiles of ER content in the brain. Ovariectomy and/or prolonged high blood-estrogen levels correlated significantly with decreased levels of ER-IR cells in most brain areas which could not be increased by pup-experience.

Animals↗

Presentation of Alzheimer's disease in patients with and without olfactory deficits.

Odor identification deficits are frequently reported in Alzheimer's disease (AD) but are not universal. This study examines differences in clinical presentation in AD patients with and without odor identification impairments. Ninety patients with probable AD were administered an odor identification test as part of a neuropsychological evaluation. Variables examined included demographic information, cognitive and behavioral measures, dementia severity, neuroimaging findings, and aspects of clinical history. Defining the groups with a median split, olfactory impaired and olfactory intact patients were mostly similar, though patients with impaired odor identification performance were more likely to be male, less likely to have a family history of dementia, and had worse visuospatial functioning. The differences noted raise the possibility of a clinical subtype of the disease.

Aged↗

Rosai-Dorfman disease revealed in the upper airway: a case report and review of the literature.

Rosai-Dorfman disease (RDD) is a systemic disease and its etiology is not well understood. It is a very rare but established disease. We report a case of RDD diagnosed in the upper airway that became a life-threatening condition because of the stricture of the subglottic space. A 49-year-old female complained of nasal obstruction, hoarseness and lacrimation. After evaluation following by fiberscopic examination and CT scanning of the head and neck, sinusitis and laryngeal masses were detected. Endoscopic sinus surgery and endolaryngeal microsurgery were performed simultaneously. The masses in the nasal cavity and larynx showed the same histological findings. Proliferative large histiocytes with voluminous clear cytoplasm and rounded nuclei, and lymphophagocytosis known as emperipolesis are the characteristic features of RDD. In this case, extranodal manifestations in the subglottic space gradually emerged postoperatively. Tracheotomy was performed to ensure an airway and prevent suffocation. An extensive treatment is not required in most patients with RDD, however, some patients who have extranodal manifestations involving the airway may detoriorate into a life-threatening condition.

Biopsy↗

Long term results following nasal septal surgery. Focus on patients' satisfaction.

OBJECTIVE: The patient selection for septoplasty usually relies on clinical judgement alone. It is not clear, if surgeons' selection criteria are able to accurately anticipate patients' long term satisfaction as only a few studies exist on the outcome of nasal septal surgery. In this study, we analyze patients' long term satisfaction following septoplasty based on their subjective opinion. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this prospective study, 67 consecutive patients, who underwent septoplasty during one year in a District General Hospital, were included. We used the fairley nasal symptom questionnaire (FNQ) preoperativeiy and postoperatively and the Glasgow benefit inventory (GBI) postoperatively to assess the outcome. Patients were mailed two questionnaires 2-3 years postoperatively, to evaluate their perception of the procedure's long term results. As a criterion to measure the success of the operation we used the median postoperative FNQ score and patients were divided into two groups, consisting of patients with more and less successful result, respectively. RESULT: Fifty-one patients responded (76%). Analysis of the outcomes revealed significant improvement of total nasal symptom score (FNQ) postoperatively (from mean score 13.25 to 9.09) with significant benefit in the nasal obstruction, sore throat and the sense of smell but not for headaches. Significant improvement in nasal breathing was recorded mainly from patients with anterior septal deviation. Patients in the below criterion group (49%) had a mean GBI total score of 6.3, reporting no satisfaction after surgery, whereas patients in the above criterion group (51%) had a mean of 23.8, which is also not a satisfactory result. Social and physical components of GBI had no difference between groups having considerably low scores. CONCLUSION: The principal benefits of septal surgery are related to improvement in nasal symptoms. In this study GBI results did not reflect a significant change in health status from septoplasty even in the above criterion group. The significant percentage of patients who did not report satisfaction in the long term, questions the objectivity of surgeons' criteria regarding nasal septal surgery. It also indicates that positive evaluation by patients of septal surgery outcome tends to be attenuated with time.

Adolescent↗

Olfactory dysfunction in sinusitis with infiltration of numerous activated eosinophils.

OBJECTIVES: To compare the number of activated eosinophils in the ethmoidal sinus mucosa with the computed tomographic findings and degree of olfactory dysfunction, and study the clinical characteristics of this disease. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Ethmoidal sinus mucosal specimens were obtained from 84 patients with bilateral sinusitis accompanied by endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS). The percentage of activated eosinophils identified by staining with EG2 antibody was compared with the nasal symptoms (nasal obstruction, nasal discharge, headache, problems of smell and overall), the CT images and the olfactory dysfunction assessed using the T&T olfactometry kit and the Alinamin test. In addition, comparison was made of the endoscopic findings obtained after the ESS and the results of the T&T olfactometry assessment. RESULTS: Specimens from 42 patients were classified in the group showing a high percentage of EG2-positive cells, while specimens from 40 patients were classified in the group showing a low percentage of EG2-positive cells. Comparison of the subjective symptoms in these two groups found a statistically significant difference only in relation to "problems of smell", while comparison of the two groups in terms of the CT scan findings found significant differences only in relation to the anterior and posterior ethmoidal sinuses. In addition, it was found that there was a possibility of manifestation of olfactory dysfunction in the group with a high percentage of EG2-positive cells even when the overall CT score was low. Comparison of the postoperative ethmoidal sinus endoscopic findings and the results using the T&T Olfactometry kit revealed that olfactory dysfunction occurs together with aggravation of the lesions. CONCLUSIONS: For the diagnosis of sinusitis accompanied by severe infiltration of activated eosinophils, attention should be paid not only to the eosinophil counts in the blood and the tissues, but also to the clinical findings, such as the status of lesions in the ethmoidal sinus as seen in CT scans and the manifestation of olfactory dysfunction.

Adult↗

Olfactory and gustatory disturbances caused by digitalism: a case report.

It is known that an overdose of digoxin causes visual disturbance, but the effect on the senses of smell and taste is not known. A case of olfactory and gustatory disturbance caused by digitalism is reported. In a 62-year-old male patient suffering from chronic digitalism, the serum digoxin level rose to 6.0 ng/ml. The patient was diagnosed not only with visual disturbance but also hyposmia and hypogeusia. The patient recovered from visual and chemosensory disturbances after the serum digoxin concentration returned to normal. Because the similarity of intracellular signal transduction between photoreceptor cells and olfactory and/or taste receptor cells is known, it is suspected that the influence of digoxin to chemosensory organs was caused by intermediation of sodium-potassium-adenosine triphosphatase (Na-K-ATPase) of the chemosensory receptor cells.

Anti-Arrhythmia Agents↗

Endoscopic transnasal transethmosphenoidal approach for pituitary tumors: assessment of technique and postoperative findings of nasal and paranasal cavities.

OBJECTIVE: Transnasal endoscopic surgery is the most common approach to removal of pituitary tumors. This study evaluated the transnasal transethmosphenoidal approach (TTES) in terms of its operative manipulability and the postoperative status of the paranasal cavities. METHODS: A total of 132 patients with pituitary tumors underwent surgery by one of the following three approaches: (1) bilateral TTES, in which the surgical procedures were performed via the bilateral paranasal cavities, (2) unilateral TTES, in which the procedures were performed via one side only, and (3) unilateral TTES and resection of the posterior portion in the nasal septum approach (RPS), which is a modification of approach (2) and enables performance of the procedures from both sides. RESULTS: The degree of freedom for the surgical procedures with each of the approaches decreased in the following order: bilateral TTES, unilateral TTES and RPS, and unilateral TTES. The postoperative CT images and endoscopic findings were good with each of the surgical approaches, but the incidences of olfactory disturbance and nasal dryness were significantly higher with the bilateral TTES compared with the unilateral TTES and RPS and the unilateral TTES. CONCLUSION: The unilateral TTES and RPS was for us most suitable approach of the three methods. In the case of advanced tumors, the bilateral TTES should be selected because it permits superior operative manipulability. Finally, the unilateral TTES is most appropriate for removal of tumors that are deviated to one side and localized within the sella.

ACTH-Secreting Pituitary Adenoma↗

Type 4 phosphodiesterase inhibition impairs detection of low odor concentrations in mice.

The cAMP-specific phosphodiesterase PDE4A is abundant in the dendrites, soma and axons of olfactory receptor neurons of the mouse, but it is not present in the cilia, where olfactory transduction initiates. Although the function of PDE4A in mammalian olfaction is unknown, patch clamp studies on deciliated olfactory receptor cells in the newt have shown that adrenaline or cAMP analogs can increase the contrast sensitivity to current injection. We used mice to ask whether increasing the levels of cAMP in sensory neurons by inhibiting PDE4A activity with rolipram could lead to changes in the perception of odorants that correspond to the in vitro cellular responses seen in newts. In an automated olfactometer, rolipram treatment (1mg/kg, i.p.) significantly impaired the detection accuracy of 1-propanol at relatively high dilutions but did not affect detection at lower dilutions. Meanwhile, the ability to discriminate amyl acetate alone from a mixture of amyl acetate+citronellal was not affected by rolipram at any odor dilution. In a different task in which mice were trained to discriminate between cups of scented versus unscented sand, rolipram treatment resulted in poorer discrimination at high and better discrimination at low, odor dilutions. In sum, PDE4 inhibition resulted in a consistent decrement in the ability of mice to detect low concentrations of odorants, but the effects of rolipram on detection of higher concentrations were task-dependent.

1-Propanol↗

The clinical significance of electrophysiological measures of olfactory function.

AIM: To establish the detectability of olfactory event-related potentials (OERP) in relation to the results from psychophysical tests of olfactory function. METHODS: Fifty-nine men and 64 women (aged 19-89 years) participated all of whom presented themselves to a specialized "Smell and Taste Clinic" because of chemosensory complaints. Their olfactory function was assessed by means of psychophysical tests, e.g., assessment of odor threshold, odor discrimination, and odor identification, which were combined in a composite "Threshold Discrimination Identification" score ("TDI score"). OERP were obtained in response to the olfactory stimulant phenyl ethyl alcohol; their presence/absence was judged by a trained observer. Using logistic regression the TDI score was calculated in relation to the subjects' olfactory function at which the probability of the presence of OERP became greater than chance. RESULTS: Based on psychophysical tests, 40 subjects were diagnosed with functional anosmia, 40 with hyposmia, and 43 subjects scored within the normal range. Causes of hyposmia and anosmia included congenital anosmia, Parkinson's disease, head trauma, infections of the upper respiratory tract, and sinunasal disease. A TDI score of 22.6 equivalent to "pronounced hyposmia" was identified as the turning point at which the probability of detection of OERP was higher than 50%. Its 95% confidence interval of 16.1-27.8 well reflected the range of hyposmia, i.e., was above significant loss of olfactory function (functional anosmia, TDI score<15.5) and below normal olfactory function (TDI score>30.5). CONCLUSION: The present results indicate that the probability to detect an OERP becomes greater than 50% within a range of olfactory function that separates functional anosmia from normosmia. Presence of OERP clearly signifies presence of olfactory function while this is not always the other way around with absence of OERP.

Adult↗

Long-term behavioral changes after cessation of chronic antidepressant treatment in olfactory bulbectomized rats.

BACKGROUND: Olfactory bulbectomy (OBX) in rats causes several behavioral and neurochemical central nervous system changes, reminiscent of symptoms of human depression. Moreover, depression-like behavior after OBX can be reversed with antidepressant drugs. However, the lasting effects of these antidepressant drugs on behavior after cessation of treatment have never been studied. METHODS: Male rats received OBX or sham surgery. After recovery, animals received 14 consecutive daily doses of imipramine (20 mg/kg), escitalopram (5 and 10 mg/kg), or vehicle. Animals were tested in an open field after acute, sub-chronic, and chronic injections, as well as 1, 2, 6, and 10 weeks after cessation of treatment. RESULTS: The OBX-induced hyperactivity was normalized after sub-chronic administration of imipramine and escitalopram. Two weeks after treatment, activity of OBX animals was comparable to sham-treated animals, but after 6 weeks, OBX animals treated with both doses of escitalopram had returned to pre-treatment hyperactivity levels. The OBX animals treated with the high imipramine dose (20 mg/kg) retained activity levels comparable to sham-treated animals until 10 weeks after cessation of treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Chronic but not acute administration of imipramine and escitalopram normalizes OBX-induced hyperactivity. This effect continues for up to 10 weeks after cessation of treatment in a dose dependant manner.

Analysis of Variance↗

Naris occlusion alters olfactory marker protein immunoreactivity in olfactory epithelium.

Though its function remains obscure, olfactory marker protein (OMP) has been implicated in olfactory transduction and the enhancement of neurogenesis within olfactory epithelium. Here we show, using Western blot analysis and immunocytochemistry, that unilateral naris occlusion (UNO) on postnatal day 1 alters OMP immunoreactivity (IR) differentially on the occluded and non-occluded sides of the nasal cavity in 18, 24 and 70-day-old mice. Compared to untreated animals, UNO-treated animals had a decrease in OMP-IR in olfactory receptor neurons on the non-occluded side and an increase in OMP-IR in olfactory receptor neurons on the occluded side of the nasal cavity. These results suggest that OMP concentration is up- or down-regulated depending on the amount of odor stimulation olfactory receptor neurons receive. It is proposed that this apparent change in protein concentration may be part of a more general compensatory response by olfactory neurons to levels of odor in the environment.

Age Factors↗

Central odor processing in subjects experiencing helplessness.

The aim of the present study was to investigate whether central nervous odor processing is affected by the temporary experience of helplessness. To induce helplessness, an unsolvable social discrimination test in combination with false feedback was used. The EEG was recorded from 60 scalp locations, while two standard odors were presented via a constant-flow olfactometer. Helplessness attenuated olfactory stimulus processing at an early perceptual stage: the P2 and P3-1 amplitudes were reduced in response to both odors. Furthermore, the early potentials (N1, P2 and P3-1) of the chemosensory event-related potential (CSERP) appeared with longer latencies when subjects received negative feedback. The state effects of helplessness resemble the deviations in the CSERP found in depressed patients, suggesting a general mood effect.

Adolescent↗

Quantitative EEG analysis in post-traumatic anosmia.

Many objective and quantitative methods have been developed to create a procedure or a device to prove, describe and quantify olfactory deficit and anosmia, especially after a head trauma. Electrophysiological testing throughout olfactoelectroencephalography (olfactoEEG) is based on brain activity desynchronisation, and on the subsequent disappearance of alpha activity on the posterior regions after an olfactory stimulus. Yet traditional evaluation of EEG can be difficult, because of little or hardly detectable alpha activity on the posterior regions ('alpha rare'). The aim of this study was to evaluate the Olfactory Stop Reaction (OSR) by means of frequency band power calculation and subsequent topographical mapping in patients with post-traumatic anosmia, who presented 'alpha rare' EEG. Twenty-five consecutive patients, affected by anosmia caused by head trauma, were submitted to an EEG recording with olfactory stimulation. After signal processing and analysis, an Olfactory Stop Reaction was detected in 17 out of 25 patients; moreover, in these patients we detected a significant decrease in alpha band power in the occipital regions and an increase in theta band power on midline frontal and central regions after olfactory stimulation. In the remaining eight patients, no significant variation in band power was observed. In conclusion, an objective evaluation of the olfactory function with this method of automatic EEG signal analysis allows the limits given by psychophysical methods and traditional EEG to be overcome and attempts to fulfil the requirements for standardization of olfactory function evalution.

Adult↗

Olfactory sensory input increases gill ventilation in male round gobies (Neogobius melanostomus) during exposure to steroids.

In teleostean fish, ventilation increases have been observed in response to low dissolved oxygen levels, visual stimuli, and gustatory cues. However, olfactory sensory input may also stimulate gill ventilation rate. We investigated whether olfactory sensory input mediates gill ventilation responses, as suggested by the observation that steroidal compounds detected by the olfactory system elicited increases in opercular activity in the perciform teleost, the round goby (Neogobius melanostomus). Close parallels between gill ventilation and olfactory responses, led us to conduct an empirical study that used two different olfactory sensory deprivation techniques to seek a causal relationship between olfactory epithelial activity and hyperventilation. Chemical lesion of olfactory sensory neurons or mechanical occlusion of the nasal cavities inhibited gill ventilation responses of reproductive male round gobies to estrone (1,3,5(10)-estratrien-3-ol-17-one) and to ovarian extracts. This direct evidence demonstrates the role of olfactory sensory input for the gill ventilation response to putative reproductive pheromones and may represent an important regulatory mechanism for odorant sampling during pheromone communication.

Animals↗