Improved Odor Identification Ability and Increased Regional Gray Matter Volume After Olfactory Training in Patients With Idiopathic Olfactory Loss

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Pengfei Han - , Southwest University (Author)
  • Martina Musch - , TUD Dresden University of Technology (Author)
  • Nasreddin Abolmaali - , Municipal Hospital Dresden (Author)
  • Thomas Hummel - , Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, TUD Dresden University of Technology (Author)

Abstract

Idiopathic olfactory loss (IOL) is thought as an early marker for neurodegenerative disease. This study investigated the effect of olfactory training (OT) on regional gray matter volume (GMV) among patients with IOL. A total of 24 patients (mean age 64.6 years, 11 male) with IOL and 30 control participants with normal olfaction (mean age 62.6 years, 13 males) were included in the study. Voxel-based morphometry was performed to compare the GMV between patient and control groups. Only the patients received OT (averaged duration 7 months), and a longitudinal approach was used to examine the GMV change from pre- to post-OT. Moreover, the effect of OT on GMV change was explored for patients with different severity of olfactory loss (anosmia vs. hyposmia). Olfactory performance was measured alongside using the "Sniffin' Sticks." Patients had improved odor identification and larger GMV in the bilateral cerebellum, bilateral thalamus, left precentral gyrus, right gyrus rectus, and medial orbitofrontal cortex after OT. However, no correlation was found between changes of odor identification and increased regional GMV. Besides, patients with anosmia, compared with patient with hyposmia, demonstrated increased GMV in the left precuneus, left superior frontal medial cortex, and left midcingulate cortex after OT. The study showed improved odor identification ability among patients with IOL after OT, which is unlikely related to spontaneous recovery. In this specific patient group, the GMV alterations may be associated with factors not directly predicted by the currently performed measurements, but possibly higher order olfactory-related functional changes.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)20416695211005811
Journali-Perception
Volume12
Issue number2
Publication statusPublished - 18 May 2021
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

PubMedCentral PMC8073728
Scopus 85105006108
ORCID /0000-0001-9713-0183/work/146645290

Keywords