Research reportOdor perception in patients with mood disorders
Introduction
The sense of smell can be considered as being unique for its high capacity to interfere with emotions and mood (Ludvigson and Rottman, 1989, Millot and Brand, 2001, Miltner et al., 1994, Van Toller, 1988, Schiffman et al., 1995). The connections of olfactory pathways with direct projections to the limbic system are usually put forward to explain these correlates (Brand et al., 2001, Rolls et al., 2003, Royet et al., 2001, Savic, 2001).
Considering this background, one may wonder which characteristics of olfactory perception in subjects affected by emotional disturbances may be observed, as it is the case in psychiatric disorders. Apart from schizophrenia (Moberg et al., 1999, Minor et al., 2004, Turetsky et al., 2003) little is known about other diseases with emotional dysfunctions. Mood disorders are salient in Major Depression, and frequently reported in alcoholism, drug addiction and eating disorders (Corcos et al., 2000). Testing the identification ability of depressed patients, Amsterdam et al. (1987) did not find any significant differences with control subjects. These results were confirmed by Warner et al. (1990) and by Settle and Amsterdam (1991). But Serby et al., 1990, Serby et al., 1992, Steiner et al. (1993) noted lowered scores in identification. A recent study (Pause et al., 2001) concluded to a reduced sensitivity in these patients.
Concerning other diseases with mood disorders, Rupp et al. (2003) noted lowered scores in sensitivity, discrimination and identification in patients with alcohol dependence compared to control subjects. Reduced odor identification abilities had previously been shown in these patients (DiTraglia et al., 1991, Shear et al., 1992). Fedoroff et al. (1995) mentioned olfactory impairment in very low-weight anorectics for sensitivity and identification. In contrast, Kopala et al. (1995) did not find any differences in identification between patients with anorexia nervosa and control subjects. Roessner et al. (2005) did not confirm deficits in identification, but mentioned deficits in sensitivity and discrimination in anorexia nervosa.
None of these studies explored simultaneously the different aspects (sensitivity, detection, intensity, pleasantness, identification…) which are usually assigned to olfactory perception. Furthermore, most studies used a few of different odors. In that way, considering the numerous inter-individual differences in olfactory perception, the differences of methods and odors tested could explain some discrepant conclusions between the studies as it is frequent in this area of research (Brand and Millot, 2001).
The aim of this present study is to characterize and compare the usual psychophysical dimensions of olfaction in groups of patients affected by these psychiatric disorders. The further challenge is to explain the specific differences observed when checking the data about the brain substrates of olfactory perception and those of these psychiatric diseases, when they are identified.
Section snippets
Subjects
We have considered a control population and three sample populations according to the medical diagnosis (DSM IV). All the patients were admitted to the Psychiatry Department of the Hopital de Besançon (East of France) when the data were collected.
- –
A sample population of depressive patients included 49 subjects (age: mean = 43.4 years and SD = 17.54: 35 females). The criteria of inclusion was the one and only diagnosis of severe depression, without other psychiatric diseases. The mean of Beck's
Olfactory sensitivity
An ANOVA revealed a significant difference between the groups (F(3, 141) = 5.692; P = .001). The post hoc comparisons (Fischer PLSD) established significant differences between control group and depressive patients (P < .035), or anorectics (P < .011), and between anorectics and depressive patients (P < .001), or alcohol/drug addicted patients (P < .034) (see Table 1).
Detection ability
The percentages of subjects giving at least one erroneous response were of 2.5% for the control group, 14% for the depressive patients, 12%
Discussion
Depressive patients have a poor sensitivity as Pause et al. (2001) concluded. Considering that that their scores in identification are similar to those of the control group, it can be believed that their low sensitivity could be the only cause of their poor detection ability.
Their ratings of pleasantness seem surprising as they usually experienced negatively emotional cues. The study of Pause et al. (2001) was the only one which evaluated intensity and hedonics ratings for a set of 10 odorants.
References (34)
- et al.
Taste and smell perception in depression
Biol. Psychiatry
(1987) - et al.
Complexity of olfactory lateralization revealed by functional imaging
Neurosci. Biobehav. Rev.
(2001) - et al.
Alexithymia and depression in eating disorders
Psychiatry Res.
(2000) - et al.
Assessment of olfactory deficits in detoxified alcoholics
Alcohol
(1991) - et al.
Olfactory dysfunction in neuropsychiatric disorders: review and methodological considerations
Biol. Psychiatry
(1997) - et al.
Effects of pleasant and unpleasant ambient odors on human voice pitch
Neurosci. Lett.
(2001) - et al.
A selective control of olfactory bulb activity in relation to food deprivation and satiety in rats
Physiol. Behav.
(1972) - et al.
Reduced olfactory performance in patients with major depression
J. Psychiat. Res.
(2001) - et al.
Functional neuroanatomy of different olfactory judgments
Neuroimage
(2001) Processing of odorous signals in humans
Brain Res. Bull.
(2001)
The effects of environmental odors emanating from commercial swine operation on the mood of nearby residents
Brain Res. Bull.
Olfactory senses in psychosis
Biol. Psychiatry
Olfactory loss in alcoholics: correlations with cortical and subcortical MRI indices
Alcohol
Physiologic impairment of olfactory stimulus processing in schizophrenia
Biol. Psychiatry
Sex differences in human olfaction: between evidence and enigma
Q. J. Exp. Psychol.
Functional neuroimaging studies of depression: the anatomy of melancholia
Annu. Rev. Med.
Olfactory dysfunction in anorexia and bulimia nervosa
Int. J. Eat. Disord.
Cited by (144)
The computational structure of consummatory anhedonia
2024, Trends in Cognitive SciencesLow odor awareness predicts reduced olfactory abilities in women with depressive symptoms, but not with anxiety symptoms
2023, Journal of Affective DisordersMania associated olfactory dysfunction: A comparison between bipolar subjects in mania and remission
2022, Journal of Psychiatric ResearchBeneficial effects of prolonged 2-phenylethyl alcohol inhalation on chronic distress-induced anxio-depressive-like phenotype in female mice
2022, Biomedicine and PharmacotherapyChronic thinner inhalation alters olfactory behaviors in adult mice
2022, Behavioural Brain Research