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Updated: May 31, 2026

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A Free-breathing fMRI Method to Study Human Olfactory Function
Published on: July 30, 2017
Olfactory bulb volume and olfactory function in patients with multiple sclerosis
O Goektas1, F Schmidt, G Bohner
1Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Berlin, Charite Campus Mitte, Smell and Taste Consultation Service, Berlin, Germany. oender.goektas@charite.de
Rhinology
|July 12, 2011
Summary
Olfactory dysfunction is common in multiple sclerosis (MS). Measuring olfactory bulb volume using MRI may help assess olfactory function (OF) and its relation to MS severity.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Neuroimaging
- Sensory Neuroscience
Background:
- Olfactory dysfunction is reported in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients.
- Optimal methods for assessing olfactory function (OF) in MS remain debated.
- Olfactory bulb (OB) volume changes correlate with the degree of olfactory dysfunction.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess olfactory bulb volume in MS patients using MRI.
- To correlate olfactory bulb volume with olfactory function.
- To evaluate the relationship between olfactory bulb volume, olfactory function, and MS neurological scores.
Main Methods:
- Manual volumetric segmentation of olfactory bulbs (OB) in 36 MS patients via MRI.
- Psychophysical assessment of orthonasal olfactory function using the Threshold-Discrimination-Identification (TDI) score.
- Correlation analysis between OB volume, TDI scores, and neurological MS scores.
Main Results:
- 44.4% of MS patients exhibited olfactory dysfunction.
- TDI scores, particularly the Identification subtest, strongly correlated with MS neurological scores.
- A positive correlation was found between OB volume and OF in MS patients with decreased OB volume.
Conclusions:
- Olfactory bulb volume measurements offer valuable insights into olfactory dysfunction in MS.
- The TDI test and its Identification subtest are sensitive tools for detecting OF deficits in MS patients.
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