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open access

Vol 57, No 2 (2023)
Research Paper
Submitted: 2022-12-12
Accepted: 2023-02-15
Published online: 2023-03-20
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Olfactory dysfunction in patients with Wilson’s Disease

Agnieszka Piechal12, Jan Bembenek3, Anna Baranowska1, Tomasz Litwin1, Dagmara Mirowska-Guzel2, Anna Członkowska1
DOI: 10.5603/PJNNS.a2023.0020
·
Pubmed: 36939310
·
Neurol Neurochir Pol 2023;57(2):212-218.
Affiliations
  1. Second Department of Neurology, Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology, Warsaw, Poland
  2. Department of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology, Centre for Preclinical Research and Technology, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
  3. Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology, Warsaw, Poland

open access

Vol 57, No 2 (2023)
Research papers
Submitted: 2022-12-12
Accepted: 2023-02-15
Published online: 2023-03-20

Abstract

Introduction. Many neurodegenerative disorders are associated with olfactory dysfunction (OD), but little is known about OD in Wilson’s Disease (WD). We evaluated olfactory function in patients with WD.

Material and methods. OD was examined in 68 patients with WD and 70 sex- and age-matched healthy controls using subjective testing with ‘Sniffin Sticks’. Threshold discrimination identification (TDI) score and its three components (odour detection threshold, discrimination, and identification) were assessed.

Results. Compared to controls, patients with WD had a significantly weaker sense of smell in terms of TDI (p < 0.01), odour discrimination (p < 0.01), and identification (p < 0.01), but not in terms of odour detection threshold (p = 0.27). Patients with predominantly neurological symptoms were characterised by greater OD by TDI (p < 0.01), odour detection threshold (p = 0.01), and discrimination (p = 0.03). The presence of pathological lesions (p = 0.04) in brain magnetic resonance imaging and generalised brain atrophy (p = 0.02) predisposed to worse TDI. In the WD group, weak inverse correlations between age and TDI score (r = –0.27), odour detection threshold (r = –0.3), and discrimination (r = –0.3) were found. Male gender was a risk factor for abnormal TDI in both WD and controls (both p = 0.02).

Conclusions. Patients with WD, particularly older individuals, more frequently had OD than healthy volunteers. Predominantly neurological symptoms, and the presence of typical brain MRI changes, predisposed patients with WD to smell disorders.

Abstract

Introduction. Many neurodegenerative disorders are associated with olfactory dysfunction (OD), but little is known about OD in Wilson’s Disease (WD). We evaluated olfactory function in patients with WD.

Material and methods. OD was examined in 68 patients with WD and 70 sex- and age-matched healthy controls using subjective testing with ‘Sniffin Sticks’. Threshold discrimination identification (TDI) score and its three components (odour detection threshold, discrimination, and identification) were assessed.

Results. Compared to controls, patients with WD had a significantly weaker sense of smell in terms of TDI (p < 0.01), odour discrimination (p < 0.01), and identification (p < 0.01), but not in terms of odour detection threshold (p = 0.27). Patients with predominantly neurological symptoms were characterised by greater OD by TDI (p < 0.01), odour detection threshold (p = 0.01), and discrimination (p = 0.03). The presence of pathological lesions (p = 0.04) in brain magnetic resonance imaging and generalised brain atrophy (p = 0.02) predisposed to worse TDI. In the WD group, weak inverse correlations between age and TDI score (r = –0.27), odour detection threshold (r = –0.3), and discrimination (r = –0.3) were found. Male gender was a risk factor for abnormal TDI in both WD and controls (both p = 0.02).

Conclusions. Patients with WD, particularly older individuals, more frequently had OD than healthy volunteers. Predominantly neurological symptoms, and the presence of typical brain MRI changes, predisposed patients with WD to smell disorders.

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Keywords

Wilson’s Disease, olfactory dysfunction, Sniffin Sticks, olfaction

About this article
Title

Olfactory dysfunction in patients with Wilson’s Disease

Journal

Neurologia i Neurochirurgia Polska

Issue

Vol 57, No 2 (2023)

Article type

Research Paper

Pages

212-218

Published online

2023-03-20

Page views

2025

Article views/downloads

423

DOI

10.5603/PJNNS.a2023.0020

Pubmed

36939310

Bibliographic record

Neurol Neurochir Pol 2023;57(2):212-218.

Keywords

Wilson’s Disease
olfactory dysfunction
Sniffin Sticks
olfaction

Authors

Agnieszka Piechal
Jan Bembenek
Anna Baranowska
Tomasz Litwin
Dagmara Mirowska-Guzel
Anna Członkowska

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