Patients with parosmia respond faster to unpleasant odors than patients with hyposmia: Insights from olfactory event-related potentials.

Background: Diagnosing parosmia is a challenge. The present study aimed to explore the distinctions between hyposmic patients with and without parosmia utilizing electroencephalography-derived olfactory event-related potentials (ERP).

Methods: Forty-four patients with hyposmia were enrolled and divided into a group with parosmia (n = 23, mean age ± standard deviation = 48 ± 14 years, seven men) and a group without parosmia (n = 21, age = 52 ± 12 years, seven men) based on the clinical interview.