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Is Parkinson's disease a primary olfactory disorder?
C H Hawkes1, B C Shephard, S E Daniel
1Essex Neurosciences Centre, Oldchurch Hospital, Romford, UK. ChrisHawkes@msn.com
QJM : Monthly Journal of the Association of Physicians
|January 11, 2000
Summary
Idiopathic Parkinson's disease (IPD) is linked to olfactory dysfunction. This review explores evidence suggesting IPD may originate in the olfactory brain before basal ganglia damage occurs.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Neurology
- Olfactory research
Background:
- Olfactory dysfunction has been recognized in idiopathic Parkinson's disease (IPD) for over 30 years.
- Recent advancements in analysis and measurement have revealed the severity and specificity of anosmia in IPD.
- The olfactory vector hypothesis posits that IPD's causative agent enters the brain nasally.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review evidence for olfactory disturbance in IPD from multiple scientific perspectives.
- To explore the potential origins of olfactory dysfunction in IPD.
- To propose that IPD may initiate in the rhinencephalon.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing pathological evidence.
- Analysis of psychological data related to olfactory function.
- Examination of neurophysiological findings.
- Consideration of genetic factors.
Main Results:
- Olfactory dysfunction is a significant and specific feature of IPD.
- Evidence supports a connection between the olfactory system and IPD.
- The precise mechanisms underlying olfactory dysfunction in IPD require further elucidation.
Conclusions:
- The initial causative event in IPD might originate in the rhinencephalon (olfactory brain).
- This proposed origin precedes the characteristic basal ganglia damage seen in IPD.
- Further research is warranted to confirm the role of the olfactory system in IPD pathogenesis.