Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 13, 2026

An Olfactory Preference Test for Measuring Olfactory Hedonic Biases in Mouse Models of Depression
Published on: July 11, 2025
Reduced olfactory bulb volume and olfactory sensitivity in patients with acute major depression
1Smell and Taste Clinic, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University of Dresden Medical School, Dresden, Germany.
Abstract:
The purpose of this study was to assess olfactory function and olfactory bulb volume in patients with acute major depression in comparison to a normal population. Twenty-one patients diagnosed with acute major depressive disorder and 21 healthy controls matched by age, sex and smoking behavior participated in this study. Olfactory function was assessed in a lateralized fashion using measures of odor threshold, discrimination and identification. Olfactory bulb volumes were calculated by manual segmentation of acquired T2-weighted coronal slices according to a standardized protocol. Patients with acute major depressive disorder showed significantly lower olfactory sensitivity and smaller olfactory bulb volumes. Additionally, a significant negative correlation between olfactory bulb volume and depression scores was detected. Their results provide the first evidence, to our knowledge, of decreased olfactory bulb volume in patients with acute major depression. These results might be related to reduced neurogenesis in major depression that could be reflected also at the level of the olfactory bulb.
More Related Videos
08:33Olfactory Neurons Obtained through Nasal Biopsy Combined with Laser-Capture Microdissection: A Potential Approach to Study Treatment Response in Mental Disorders
Published on: December 4, 2014
04:00Studying the Effects of Inhaled Environmental Pollutants on Olfactory Function in Mice
Published on: September 13, 2024
Related Concept Videos
Olfactory Receptors: Location and Structure
Olfaction
The olfactory receptors are embedded in the cilia of the...
Physiology of Smell and Olfactory Pathway
The olfactory...
Depression: Overview
Antidepressant Drugs: MAOIs and Other Agents