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Updated: Jun 20, 2026
07:27
Olfactory Assays for Mouse Models of Neurodegenerative Disease
Published on: August 25, 2014
Olfaction and apathy in Parkinson's disease
Christina K Cramer1, Joseph H Friedman, Melissa M Amick
1The Alpert Medical School at Brown University, 343 Lloyd ave, Providence, RI 02906, USA. christina_cramer@brown.edu
Parkinsonism & Related Disorders
|September 29, 2009
Summary
Parkinson's disease (PD) patients with apathy show poorer smell identification. This study found a correlation between olfactory dysfunction and apathy in PD, suggesting shared brain pathology.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
Background:
- Olfactory deficits are common in Parkinson's disease (PD).
- Apathy is more prevalent in PD patients than the general population.
- Olfactory impairment and apathy involve overlapping brain regions, including the anterior cingulate gyrus and medial orbitofrontal cortex.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between olfactory dysfunction and apathy in PD patients.
- To determine if olfactory deficits correlate with apathy severity in PD.
Main Methods:
- Seventy consecutive PD patients were assessed.
- Participants completed the Brief Smell Identification Test (B-SIT) and Apathy Evaluation Scale (AES).
- The Folstein Mini-Mental Status exam (MMSE) was administered to assess cognitive function.
Main Results:
- Apathetic PD patients performed significantly worse on the B-SIT compared to non-apathetic PD patients.
- A significant correlation was found between olfactory impairment and apathy.
- Results suggest simultaneous disruption of olfaction and emotion in PD.
Conclusions:
- Olfactory dysfunction is linked to apathy in Parkinson's disease.
- Shared neuropathology in olfactory and emotional processing centers may underlie this association.
- The link between olfaction and emotion in PD has potential clinical implications.
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