Olfaction is a key sensory mechanism in humans. Deficits in this chemosensory function have wide-ranging impacts on overall health and quality of life. This study examines the role of environmental phenols as risk factors for olfactory dysfunction among a random sample of 839 middle-aged and older U.S. adults. Olfactory function assessment was carried out using a short 8-item test, scores on which were used to classify subjects into normal or impaired olfactory function groups. Logistic regression models were used to test for associations between olfactory impairment and creatinine-adjusted urinary levels of 8 common environmental phenols, adjusting for potentially confounding covariates. A statistically significant association between 2,4-dichlorophenol levels and olfactory impairment (OR = 1.02 [95 % CI: (1.003, 1.04)]; p = 0.02) was found. 2,4-dichlorophenol is a hazardous pollutant with widespread exposure via industrial and indoor air pollution, diet, and the use of pesticides and herbicides. This study is the first to reveal its role in olfactory impairment.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09603123.2017.1405245 | DOI Listing |
Front Allergy
January 2025
Unit of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Department, ASST Sette Laghi, Varese and UPLOAD (Upper and Lower Airways Diseases) Research Centre, University of Insubria, Varese, Italy.
Background: Chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) is an inflammatory condition characterized by persistent nasal obstruction, discharge, facial pressure, and olfactory dysfunction. CRSwNP significantly impairs quality of life (QoL), with olfactory loss being a particularly distressing symptom that affects food enjoyment, personal safety, and social interactions.
Methods: This study investigated the experiences of Italian patients with CRSwNP.
Front Neurosci
January 2025
Department of Neurology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.
Neurodegenerative diseases represent a group of disorders characterized by progressive degeneration of neurons in the central nervous system, leading to a range of cognitive, motor, and sensory impairments. In recent years, there has been growing interest in the association between neurodegenerative diseases and olfactory dysfunction (OD). Characterized by a decline in the ability to detect or identify odors, OD has been observed in various conditions, including Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), Huntington's disease (HD), and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFront Aging Neurosci
January 2025
Laboratory for Brain Development, Modulation and Repair, Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, United States.
Cognitive changes associated with PASC may not be uniform across populations. We conducted individual-level pooled analyses and meta-analyses of cognitive assessments from eight prospective cohorts, comprising 2,105 patients and 1,432 controls from Argentina, Canada, Chile, Greece, India, Italy, Russia, and the UK. The meta-analysis found no differences by country of origin.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Neurosci
January 2025
Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada, K1N 6N5
GABAergic neurons in basal forebrain (BF) nuclei project densely to all layers of the mouse main olfactory bulb (OB), the first relay in odor information processing. However, BF projection neurons are diverse and the contribution of each subtype to odor information processing is not known. In the present study, we used retrograde and anterograde tracing methods together with whole-brain light-sheet analyses, patch-clamp recordings coupled with optogenetic and chemogenetic approaches during spontaneous odor discrimination, and go/no-go odor discrimination/learning tests to characterize the synaptic targets in the OB of BF calretinin-expressing (CR+) GABAergic cells and to reveal their functional implications.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFGeriatr Psychol Neuropsychiatr Vieil
December 2024
Odors are known to entertain a special link with memory: once the meaning of an odor has been learned, it naturally acts as a retrieval cue of the learning context, along with the emotions and behaviors associated with it. The existence of this link has for several years inspired the study of olfactory function in Alzheimer's disease (AD), known for the memory disorders it causes. The aim of this review is to summarize the current scientific knowledge on the almost paradoxical dual role played by odors in the management of AD, as both screening and therapeutic tools.
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