Olfactory perception in patients with a mild traumatic brain injury: a longitudinal study

ABSTRACT

Objective

This longitudinal study aimed to evaluate olfactory perception in patients with first time mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) 2–4 weeks (baseline) and 6 months (follow-up) following their trauma.

Methods

At baseline, we enrolled 107 participants (54 healthy controls; 53 patients with mTBI). Thirty-nine healthy controls and 32 patients with mTBI returned for follow-up. We assessed odor detection (yes/no paradigm) and odor perception with a self-reported evaluation of intensity and pleasantness of four common odorants, by using an olfactometer, i.e., a computer controlled automated odor presentation device.

Results

At baseline, patients with mTBI showed significantly more difficulty detecting odors; however, they perceived them as more intense and less pleasant. These effects vanished at follow-up.

Conclusion

These results suggest that patients with mTBI suffer from altered olfactory detection and perception in the first weeks following their trauma. This may have an impact on eating behavior and quality of life. Further, our data suggest recovery of olfactory function within the first six months following a head trauma.

KEYWORDS:

• Mild brain injury
• olfactory perception
• olfactometer
• recovery process
• longitudinal study

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank the trauma nurses of the Sacré-Coeur Hospital for their help in the recruitment of participants as well as all the participants for their willingness to contribute in the study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

Dr. Frasnelli is supported by the Fonds de Recherche du Québec, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research CIHR-173514, and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada. None were declared for the remaining authors.