Mechanism underlying olfactory dysfunction in patients with depressive disorder-fMRI study

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25461773
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Psychiatric science
• Research Institution: Kochi University
• Principal Investigator: Okutani Fumino 高知大学, 教育研究部医療学系看護学部門, 教授 (10194490)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): FUJITA Hirokazu 高知大学, 教育研究部医療学系医学教育部門, 准教授 (70380326)
• Research Collaborator: MURATA Yoriko 高知大学, 教育研究部医療学系臨床医学部門, 講師 (50325429)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 嗅覚異常 / うつ病 / パニック障害

Outline of Final Research Achievements

It is well known that patients with major depressive disorder claim appetite loss and body weight loss. In this study we tried to examine whether their gustatory or olfactory function is abnormal. Since it was revealed that all patients with informed consent have normal olfactory function, we failed to test their function by functional MRI study. Patients with panic disorder under treatment by antidepressants, however, showed very low threshold for detection and recognition of odors. None of them has experiences of panic attacks evoked by odor stimulation. We suppose that their hyperactivity in the amygdala underlies hypersensitive olfactory function.
These results suggest the possibility that olfactory function in various psychiatric or neurological disorders may give us useful information in diagnosis or treatment.

Free Research Field

神経科学