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Updated: Jun 17, 2026
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Olfactory Assays for Mouse Models of Neurodegenerative Disease
Published on: August 25, 2014
Olfactory impairment predicts brain atrophy in Parkinson's disease
Elise Wattendorf1, Antje Welge-Lüssen, Klaus Fiedler
1Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital, University of Basel, CH-4031 Basel, Switzerland.
Summary
Olfactory dysfunction in Parkinson's disease (PD) is linked to brain atrophy in olfactory regions. This gray matter loss in areas like the piriform cortex and amygdala may indicate early, extranigral pathology in PD.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Neurology
- Radiology
Background:
- Olfactory dysfunction is a common early nonmotor symptom in idiopathic Parkinson's disease (PD).
- Impaired olfaction may precede motor symptoms by years and indicate early pathological processes.
- Recent concepts suggest olfactory impairment is linked to structural brain changes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate gray matter atrophy associated with olfactory dysfunction in early and moderately advanced PD patients.
- To correlate psychophysically measured olfactory function with brain structure using voxel-based morphometry (VBM).
Main Methods:
- Voxel-based morphometry (VBM) analysis of magnetic resonance images.
- Inclusion of early PD patients (n=15), moderately advanced PD patients (n=12), and age-matched healthy controls (n=17).
- Psychophysical measurement of olfactory function.
Main Results:
- PD patients showed cortical atrophy in olfactory-related brain regions correlating with olfactory dysfunction.
- Positive correlations between olfactory performance and gray matter volume were found in the right piriform cortex (early PD) and right amygdala (moderately advanced PD).
- No significant correlations were observed in healthy controls.
Conclusions:
- Olfactory dysfunction in PD is associated with atrophy in olfactory-eloquent limbic and paralimbic cortical regions.
- This atrophy supports the hypothesis that olfactory impairment in PD is linked to extranigral pathology.
- Findings suggest olfactory deficits reflect early neurodegenerative changes in Parkinson's disease.
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