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Updated: Jul 11, 2026
07:27
Olfactory Assays for Mouse Models of Neurodegenerative Disease
Published on: August 25, 2014
[Olfactory dysfunction in Parkinson's disease].
Lucas Barasnevicius Quagliato1, Maura Aparecida Viana, Elizabeth Maria Aparecida Barasnevicius Quagliato
1Departamento de Neurologia, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Pontifícia Universidade Católica de São Paulo, Sorocaba, SP, Brasil.
Arquivos De Neuro-Psiquiatria
|September 19, 2007
Summary
Parkinson's disease (PD) patients exhibit significant olfactory dysfunction, with 80% showing deficits. Smell identification tests like the UPSIT may aid in diagnosing PD and differentiating it from other conditions.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Olfactory Neuroscience
Background:
- Olfactory dysfunction is a common non-motor symptom in Parkinson's disease (PD).
- Early identification of olfactory deficits could aid in PD diagnosis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize olfactory dysfunction in PD patients using the University of Pennsylvania 12 Smell Identification Test (UPSIT).
- To compare olfactory function between PD patients and healthy controls.
- To correlate olfactory scores with clinical and demographic features of PD.
Main Methods:
- Fifty PD patients and 76 age-matched healthy controls were assessed using the UPSIT.
- PD patients were also evaluated with the United Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale and Hoehn and Yahr stage.
Main Results:
- PD patients scored significantly lower on the UPSIT (mean 5.7) compared to controls (mean 9).
- Lower UPSIT scores were associated with initial resting tremor and current tremor, rigidity, and bradykinesia.
- A negative correlation was observed between patient age and PD stage with UPSIT scores.
Conclusions:
- 80% of PD patients demonstrated olfactory deficits.
- Smell identification testing, such as the UPSIT, shows potential as a diagnostic tool for Parkinson's disease.
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