Pregnant women exhibit decreased trigeminal sensitivity

Publikation: Beitrag in FachzeitschriftForschungsartikelBeigetragenBegutachtung

Beitragende

  • Agnieszka Sabiniewicz - , Klinik und Poliklinik für Hals-Nasen-Ohrenheilkunde, University of Wrocław (Autor:in)
  • Michał Pieniak - , Klinik und Poliklinik für Hals-Nasen-Ohrenheilkunde, University of Wrocław (Autor:in)
  • Thomas Hummel - , Klinik und Poliklinik für Hals-Nasen-Ohrenheilkunde (Autor:in)

Abstract

Introduction: Chemosensory function in pregnant women is far from being fully understood due to the lack of data and inconsistencies between the results of self-reports and objective studies. Methods: In the present study in pregnant and non-pregnant women (npregnant = 14, nnon-pregnant = 13), we measured EEG-derived electrophysiological response measures supported by psychophysical olfactory and trigeminal tests. Results: Results indicate that the olfactory event-related potential amplitudes or latencies of the P1, N1, and P2 components remain unchanged in pregnant women. In accordance with these findings, no difference was observed between pregnant and non-pregnant women in psychophysical olfactory tests. However, pregnant women displayed a lower degree of sensitivity to trigeminal stimuli compared to non-pregnant controls, which was also reflected in the electrophysiological responses to trigeminal stimuli. Conclusion: Counterintuitive as they may seem, our findings demonstrate a “flattening” of chemosomatosensory responses. Psychological processes occurring during pregnancy, such as changes in socioemotional perception of odors resulting from the diminished stress response, may provide a background to these results. Overall, the present results indicate the absence of major differences between non-pregnant and pregnant women in terms of measured olfactory function though chemosomatosensory function of the pregnant women appears to be decreased.

Details

OriginalspracheEnglisch
Aufsatznummere3597
FachzeitschriftBrain and behavior
Jahrgang14
Ausgabenummer7
PublikationsstatusVeröffentlicht - Juli 2024
Peer-Review-StatusJa

Externe IDs

PubMed 38956811
ORCID /0000-0001-9713-0183/work/163766502

Schlagworte

ASJC Scopus Sachgebiete

Schlagwörter

  • olfaction, pregnancy, trigeminal