Chemosensory function and psychological profile in patients with multiple chemical sensitivity: comparison with odor-sensitive and asymptomatic controls.

Objective: We addressed the question if patients with multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) differ from participants with self-reported odor sensitivity without MCS and asymptomatic controls in terms of chemosensory, cognitive, and clinical psychological endpoints.

Methods: In a clinical study 23 MCS patients, 21 participants with self-reported odor sensitivity, and 23 controls were investigated using electrophysiological and psychophysical olfactometric tests [chemosensory-event-related potentials (CSERP), olfactory thresholds, odor identification, trigeminal sensitivity]. The participants filled in a mood list, a list of complaints (BL), a Symptom Check List, a State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), and an MCS questionnaire.

Classical conditioning and conditionability of insulin and glucose effects in healthy humans.

We examined whether the effects of intravenously injected insulin and glucose (the physiological endogenous insulin production stimulus) could be classically conditioned in healthy humans. We expected a conditioned blood glucose decrease to a conditioned stimulus (CS) previously paired with insulin and an, albeit lower, blood glucose decrease to a CS paired with glucose injection. In addition, we analyzed glucoregulatory hormone and symptom conditionability.