Highlights
- •Olfactory identification may decline early in some multiple sclerosis (MS) patients.
- •Olfactory identification correlates with processing speed and working memory in MS.
- •Decreased olfactory identification ability reflects central brain atrophy in MS.
- •Olfactory identification is a possible biomarker for MS disease progression.
Abstract
Background
Olfactory dysfunction is a known clinical feature of multiple sclerosis (MS). Some
studies have shown that odor identification impairment is an essential feature associated
with cognitive function in MS. This study investigates the relationship between olfactory
identification and the disease state, including cognitive function and central brain
volume, to evaluate the utility of olfactory identification in the clinical assessment
of relapsing-remitting (RR) MS.
Methods
Forty patients with RRMS and 40 healthy controls (HCs) were included. Their olfactory
identification was measured using the Odor Stick Identification Test for the Japanese
(OSIT-J). Cognitive function was evaluated by the Japanese version of the Wechsler
Adult Intelligence Scale, 3rd edition (WAIS-III), and depressive mood was evaluated
by the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. Magnetic resonance imaging
was used to measure the third ventricle width (3rd VW) as a marker of central brain
atrophy.
Results
RRMS patients had a significantly lower OSIT-J score than HCs. The OSIT-J score was
significantly lower in RRMS patients with low processing speed (PS) and working memory
(WM) scores than RRMS patients with normal PS or WM scores. The OSIT-J score was significantly
related to the PS, WM, and the 3rd VW. The OSIT-J score also showed a mild correlation
with the expanded disability status scale and disease duration, but not with the number
of clinical attacks or patient's age.
Conclusions
Our results suggest that olfactory identification impairment occurs in association
with cognitive dysfunction and central brain atrophy. Thus, olfactory identification
is a possible disease marker of RRMS as with cognitive impairment, especially PS,
reflecting the diffuse neurodegeneration in RRMS.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: November 05, 2019
Accepted:
November 4,
2019
Received in revised form:
October 29,
2019
Received:
September 23,
2019
Identification
Copyright
© 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
