Abstract:
OBJECTIVE: Olfactory dysfunction
is the most frequently seen non-motor
symptom of Idiopathic Parkinson’s disease
(IPD). The aim of this study is to analyze selective
olfactory dysfunction, and olfactory bulb
volume (OBV) in subtypes of IPD, and compare
them with those of the healthy controls.
PATIENTS AND METHODS: Our study included
41 patients with IPD and age and gender matched
19 healthy controls. IPD patients were either
tremor dominant (65.9%; TDPD) or non-tremor
dominant (34.1%; NTDPD) type. All patients underwent
neurological, ear, nose, and throat examinations,
and orthonasal olfaction testing. Magnetic
resonance imaging (MRI) technique was used to
measure the volume of the olfactory bulb.
RESULTS: A significant decrease in olfactory
identification scores was found in the patient
group. The patients had difficulty in discriminating
between odors of mothballs, chocolate, Turkish
coffee and soap. OBV did not differ between
the patient, and the control groups. In the TDPD
group, odor identification ability was decreased
when compared to the control group. However,
odor test results of NTDPD, control and TDPD
groups were similar. OBV estimates of the TDPD
group were not different from those of the control
group, while in the NTDPD group OBVs were
found to be decreased. In all patients with Parkinson’s
disease OBV values did not vary with age of
the patients, duration of the disease, age at onset
of the disease, and Unified Parkinson’s Disease
Rating Scale motor scores (UPDRS-m).
CONCLUSIONS: Olfactory function is a complex
process involving olfactory, and cortical
structures as well. In Idiopathic Parkinson’s disease,
changes in OBV do not seem to be directly
related to olfactory dysfunction.
