Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 6, 2025
07:27
Olfactory Assays for Mouse Models of Neurodegenerative Disease
Published on: August 25, 2014
22.5K
Smell as a clinical-marker for functional limitations in multiple sclerosis: A pilot study
Yael Goverover1, Michelle H Chen2, Silvana L Costa2
1Department of Occupational Therapy, Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, New York University, and Kessler Foundation, 82 Washington Square East, New York, NY, 10003, United States.
Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders
|October 4, 2020
Summary
Olfactory dysfunction, common in multiple sclerosis (MS), is linked to cognitive impairments and reduced quality of life (QOL) in MS patients. Smell identification tests may serve as a marker for MS disability.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Neuroscience
- Clinical Medicine
Background:
- Olfactory dysfunction is a frequent symptom in multiple sclerosis (MS).
- The role of olfactory dysfunction as a clinical marker for MS-related disability, including cognitive impairments and functional limitations, remains unclear.
- This study investigates the relationship between olfactory function and cognitive, functional, and quality of life outcomes in individuals with MS.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the association between olfactory function (smell identification) and cognitive capacities in MS patients.
- To explore the correlation between olfactory function and functional performance in individuals with MS.
- To determine the relationship between olfactory function and quality of life (QOL) in persons with MS.
Main Methods:
- Olfactory function assessed using the University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test (UPSIT).
- Functional ability evaluated with the Actual Reality (AR) task.
- Cognitive function measured by the Brief International Cognitive Assessment for MS (BICAMS).
- Quality of life assessed via the Multiple Sclerosis Quality of Life-54 (MSQOL-54) questionnaire.
- Study included 23 MS patients and 15 matched healthy controls.
Main Results:
- Multiple sclerosis patients demonstrated significantly lower UPSIT scores compared to healthy controls.
- Poorer olfactory function (lower UPSIT scores) correlated with diminished performance on cognitive assessments (BICAMS) and functional tasks (AR).
- Reduced olfactory function was associated with lower self-reported quality of life (MSQOL-54 scores).
- The link between olfactory scores and quality of life was independent of cognitive performance, while the association with functional performance was mediated by cognitive function.
Conclusions:
- This research confirms olfactory impairment in individuals with MS.
- Olfactory dysfunction is demonstrably linked to limitations in daily activity performance and overall quality of life.
- Olfactory function shows potential as a clinical marker for assessing MS-related disability.
- Further longitudinal studies are recommended to validate these findings and establish the predictive value of olfactory function in MS progression.
Related Concept Videos
01:25Olfaction
47.6K
The sense of smell is achieved through the activities of the olfactory system. It starts when an airborne odorant enters the nasal cavity and reaches olfactory epithelium (OE). The OE is protected by a thin layer of mucus, which also serves the purpose of dissolving more complex compounds into simpler chemical odorants. The size of the OE and the density of sensory neurons varies among species; in humans, the OE is only about 9-10 cm2.
The olfactory receptors are embedded in the cilia of the...
The olfactory receptors are embedded in the cilia of the...
47.6K
01:20Physiology of Smell and Olfactory Pathway
11.5K
Humans detect odors with the help of specialized cells located in the upper part of the nasal cavity, called olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs). ORNs possess hair-like structures called cilia, which are receptive to sensations from the inhaled air. When an odorant molecule binds to a specific receptor on the cell of the cilia, it leads to a series of events that ultimately cause the ORN to send electrical signals to the olfactory bulb in the brain through the olfactory nerves.
The olfactory...
The olfactory...
11.5K
01:03Olfactory Receptors: Location and Structure
10.8K
The process of olfaction, also known as the sense of smell, is a sophisticated chemical response system. The specialized sensory neurons that facilitate this process, known as olfactory receptor neurons, are situated in an upper segment of the nasal cavity, known as the olfactory epithelium. Olfactory sensory neurons are bipolar, with their dendrites extending from the epithelium's apex into the mucus that lines the nasal cavity. Airborne molecules, when inhaled, traverse the olfactory...
10.8K