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Updated: Aug 6, 2025
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Olfactory Assays for Mouse Models of Neurodegenerative Disease
Published on: August 25, 2014
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Olfactory dysfunction in patients with Wilson's Disease
Agnieszka Piechal1,2, Jan Bembenek3, Anna Baranowska1
1Second Department of Neurology, Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology, Warsaw, Poland.
Neurologia I Neurochirurgia Polska
|March 20, 2023
Summary
Patients with Wilson's Disease (WD) frequently experience olfactory dysfunction (OD), especially older individuals. Neurological symptoms and brain MRI changes worsen smell disorders in WD patients.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Ophthalmology
Background:
- Olfactory dysfunction (OD) is linked to many neurodegenerative disorders.
- Little is known about OD in Wilson's Disease (WD).
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate olfactory function in patients with Wilson's Disease.
- To compare olfactory function in WD patients and healthy controls.
Main Methods:
- Assessed OD in 68 WD patients and 70 controls using 'Sniffin Sticks' subjective testing.
- Measured Threshold Discrimination Identification (TDI) score and its components: odour detection threshold, discrimination, and identification.
Main Results:
- WD patients showed significantly reduced TDI, odour discrimination, and identification compared to controls.
- Neurological symptoms, brain MRI lesions, and atrophy correlated with worse olfactory function in WD.
- Older age and male gender were associated with olfactory dysfunction in WD patients.
Conclusions:
- Wilson's Disease patients, particularly older individuals, exhibit a higher prevalence of olfactory dysfunction.
- Neurological symptoms and characteristic brain MRI findings predispose WD patients to smell impairments.
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