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Olfactory Assays for Mouse Models of Neurodegenerative Disease
Published on: August 25, 2014
Olfactory dysfunction and cardiovascular dysautonomia in Parkinson's disease
Hisayoshi Oka1, Chizuko Toyoda, Makiko Yogo
1Department of Neurology, Daisan Hospital, The University School of Medicine, 4-11-1, Izumihoncho, Komae, Tokyo 201-8601, Japan. h.oka@jikei.ac.jp
Journal of Neurology
|February 2, 2010
Summary
Olfactory dysfunction in Parkinson's disease (PD) is linked to autonomic nervous system failure. This study found that impaired smell correlates with cardiac and vascular autonomic dysfunction in PD patients.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Cardiology
- Autonomic Neuroscience
Background:
- Olfactory dysfunction is an early sign of Parkinson's disease (PD).
- Reduced cardiac meta-iodobenzylguanidine ((123)I-MIBG) uptake may indicate early PD.
- Cardiovascular autonomic dysfunction is common in PD.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between olfactory dysfunction and cardiovascular autonomic function in PD patients.
- To determine if olfactory deficits correlate with cardiac sympathetic/parasympathetic function and vascular autonomic responses.
Main Methods:
- Olfactory function assessed using the Odor Stick Identification Test for Japan (OSIT-J).
- Cardiovascular autonomic function evaluated via cardiac (123)I-MIBG scintigraphy, orthostatic blood pressure response, and heart rate variability (HRV).
- Compared 66 PD patients with control groups for each assessment.
Main Results:
- PD patients exhibited significantly lower OSIT-J scores than controls (p = 0.001).
- OSIT-J scores correlated with cardiac (123)I-MIBG uptake, orthostatic blood pressure drop, and HRV, independent of other clinical factors.
- Olfactory dysfunction was significantly associated with cardiac sympathetic and parasympathetic, and vascular sympathetic dysfunction.
Conclusions:
- Olfactory dysfunction and autonomic network failure are closely related non-motor symptoms in Parkinson's disease.
- These findings highlight the interconnectedness of sensory and autonomic deficits in PD pathogenesis.
- Early detection of olfactory deficits may aid in identifying broader autonomic dysfunction in PD.
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