Reduced olfactory sensitivity in subjects with depressive symptoms

Pollatos, Olga; Albrecht, Jessica; Kopietz, Rainer; Linn, Jennifer; Schoepf, Veronika; Kleemann, Anna Maria; Schreder, Tatjana; Schandry, Rainer; Wiesmann, Martin

doi:10.1016/j.jad.2006.12.012

« Previous Next »Journal of Affective Disorders
Volume 102, Issue 1 , Pages 101-108, September 2007

Reduced olfactory sensitivity in subjects with depressive symptoms

Olga Pollatos
- Department of Neuroradiology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich, Germany
- Department of Psychology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich, Germany
- Corresponding author. Leopoldstr. 13, 80802 Munich, Germany. Tel.: +49 89 2180 6356; fax: +49 89 2180 5233.
Jessica Albrecht
- Department of Neuroradiology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich, Germany
Rainer Kopietz
- Department of Neuroradiology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich, Germany
Jennifer Linn
- Department of Neuroradiology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich, Germany
Veronika Schoepf
- Department of Neuroradiology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich, Germany
Anna Maria Kleemann
- Department of Neuroradiology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich, Germany
Tatjana Schreder
- Department of Neuroradiology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich, Germany
Rainer Schandry
- Department of Psychology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich, Germany
Martin Wiesmann
- Department of Neuroradiology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich, Germany

Received 31 October 2006; received in revised form 14 December 2006; accepted 17 December 2006.

Abstract

Background

Clinical studies suggest that olfactory sensitivity is reduced in major depression. Nevertheless, only little is known about the relationship between depressive symptoms and olfactory functions in healthy subjects.

Methods

The present study investigated the association between depressive symptoms and olfactory performance in 48 healthy subjects (14 male). First depressive symptoms were assessed using the Beck Depression Inventory, following by olfactory testing. Olfactory threshold and discrimination performance was assessed as well as emotional arousal and pleasantness during the testing procedure.

Results

We observed a significant negative correlation between olfactory sensitivity and depressive symptoms while olfactory discrimination was not related to depressive symptoms. Limitations: The degree of depressive symptoms was assessed by questionnaire. A clinical interview might assess depressive symptoms more accurate.

Conclusion

We conclude that depressive symptoms are related to a reduced olfactory sensitivity. The observed relation between reduced olfactory sensitivity and depressive symptoms could be mediated by functional deviations within brain structures subserving primary olfactory processing such as amygdala and piriform cortex which is in line with results showing abnormal activity pattern in the amygdala and other brain regions in depression.

Keywords: Olfactory perception, Depression, Emotions, Arousal, Pleasantness