Olfative and taste perception in Parkinson's disease

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Sensory Science
• Clinical Neurology

Background:

• Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder affecting motor function.
• Olfactory and gustatory dysfunctions are common non-motor symptoms in PD.
• Understanding sensory perception changes is crucial for PD management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare olfactory and gustatory perception and discrimination in individuals with PD versus healthy controls.
• To assess self-perception of smell and taste before and after sensory testing in both groups.

Main Methods:

• An observational, analytical, cross-sectional, quantitative study design.
• Utilized Olfactory Perception and Taste Strips Tests for objective assessment.
• Employed the Visual Analogue Scale for subjective self-perception evaluation.

Main Results:

• Individuals with PD demonstrated significantly lower olfactory perception compared to controls.
• Olfactory self-perception improved in the PD group post-testing.
• No significant differences were found in taste perception or discrimination between groups.

Conclusions:

• PD is associated with diminished olfactory perception, but self-perception can improve post-testing.
• Taste perception and discrimination remain largely unaffected in PD patients compared to healthy individuals.
• Sour taste was the most accurately identified taste by participants.