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Published on: December 13, 2017
Olfaction and essential tremor.
Lucas Barasnevicius Quagliato1, Maura Aparecida Viana, Elizabeth Maria Aparecida Barasnevicius Quagliato
1Faculty of Medical Sciences, Pontifíce Catholic University of São Paulo, Sorocaba, SP, Brazil. lucasquagliato@yahoo.com.br
Arquivos De Neuro-Psiquiatria
|March 31, 2009
Summary
Essential tremor (ET) patients show normal olfactory identification abilities, as measured by the University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test (UPSIT). This suggests UPSIT is a valuable tool for diagnosing tremors of unknown origin.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Olfactory Function
Background:
- Essential tremor (ET) is a common neurological disorder.
- Olfactory dysfunction can be associated with various neurological conditions.
- The olfactory identification abilities in ET patients require further characterization.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess olfactory identification in essential tremor patients using the University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test (UPSIT).
- To correlate olfactory function with clinical and epidemiological data in ET.
- To compare olfactory identification in ET patients with age-matched controls.
Main Methods:
- Forty essential tremor patients and 89 age-matched controls were evaluated.
- The University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test (UPSIT) was administered to all participants.
- Patients were also assessed using the ET Clinical Scale of Evaluation.
Main Results:
- The mean UPSIT score for essential tremor patients was 9.10, which was statistically similar to the control group's score of 9.11.
- Olfactory identification scores were comparable across all age groups studied.
- No significant correlation was found between the severity of essential tremor and UPSIT scores.
Conclusions:
- Olfactory identification is preserved in individuals with essential tremor.
- The University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test (UPSIT) can be a useful diagnostic tool for differentiating essential tremor from other conditions causing tremors.
- Further research may explore the utility of UPSIT in broader differential diagnoses of movement disorders.
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