Neuroscience
Hubbard PS, Esiri MM, Reading M, McShane R, & Nagy Z. Alpha-synuclein pathology in the olfactory pathways of dementia patients. Journal of Anatomy. 2007 Jun 6; [Epub ahead of print]
Division of Neuroscience, The Medical School, University of Birmingham, UK.
Lewy-type pathology is a characteristic of a number of neurodegenerative disorders, including Parkinson's disease and dementia with Lewy bodies. Thus far, the definitive diagnosis of these dementias can only be confirmed at post-mortem. However, it is known that the loss of smell (anosmia) is an early symptom in patients who develop dementia, and the use of the smell test has been proposed as an early diagnostic procedure. The aim of this study was to understand further the extent of Lewy pathology in the olfactory system of patients with neurodegenerative disorders. Post-mortem tissue from 250 subjects was obtained from the OPTIMA brain bank. Five areas of the olfactory pathway were examined by immunolabelling for alpha-synuclein - a major component of Lewy pathology: the olfactory tract/bulb (n = 79), the anterior olfactory nucleus in the lateral olfactory gyrus (n = 193), the region of olfactory projection to the orbito-frontal cortex (n = 225), the hippocampus (n = 236) and the amygdala (n = 201). Results show that Lewy pathology affects different parts of the olfactory pathways differentially, suggesting a specific pattern of development of pathology. Clinical Parkinson's disease is most likely to be identified if the orbito-frontal cortex is affected, while the diagnosis is less likely if the pathology is restricted to the olfactory bulb or tract. These results suggest that pathology in the olfactory bulb and tract occurs prior to clinical signs of Parkinson's disease. Furthermore, the results presented here provide further evidence supporting the possible value of a smell test to aid the clinical diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases.
PMID: 17553102 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
- Neuropsychology Abstract Of The Day: Olfaction And Neurodegenerative Disease
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- Neuropsychology Abstract Of The Day: Parkinson's Disease And Olfaction
Landis BN & Burkhard PR. Phantosmias and Parkinson disease. Archives of Neurology. 2008 Sep; 65(9): 1237-1239. BACKGROUND: Impaired olfaction is a common, nonmotor manifestation of Parkinson disease (PD). However, to our knowledge, qualitative olfactory...
- Neuropsychology Abstract Of The Day: Olfactory Functioning And Mild Cognitive Impairment (mci)
Djordjevic J, Jones-Gotman M, De Sousa K, & Chertkow H. (2007). Olfaction in patients with mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease. Neurobiology and Aging [epub ahead of print.] Montreal Neurological Institute, 3801 University Street, Department...
- Abstract Of The Day: Smell Identification And Anosmia Screening
Jackman AH & Doty RL. Utility of a three-item smell identification test in detecting olfactory dysfunction. Laryngoscope. 2005 Dec; 115(12): 2209-2212. From the Smell and Taste Center, Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Hospital...
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Neuroscience
Neuropsychology Abstract of the Day: Olfaction and Dementia
Hubbard PS, Esiri MM, Reading M, McShane R, & Nagy Z. Alpha-synuclein pathology in the olfactory pathways of dementia patients. Journal of Anatomy. 2007 Jun 6; [Epub ahead of print]
Division of Neuroscience, The Medical School, University of Birmingham, UK.
Lewy-type pathology is a characteristic of a number of neurodegenerative disorders, including Parkinson's disease and dementia with Lewy bodies. Thus far, the definitive diagnosis of these dementias can only be confirmed at post-mortem. However, it is known that the loss of smell (anosmia) is an early symptom in patients who develop dementia, and the use of the smell test has been proposed as an early diagnostic procedure. The aim of this study was to understand further the extent of Lewy pathology in the olfactory system of patients with neurodegenerative disorders. Post-mortem tissue from 250 subjects was obtained from the OPTIMA brain bank. Five areas of the olfactory pathway were examined by immunolabelling for alpha-synuclein - a major component of Lewy pathology: the olfactory tract/bulb (n = 79), the anterior olfactory nucleus in the lateral olfactory gyrus (n = 193), the region of olfactory projection to the orbito-frontal cortex (n = 225), the hippocampus (n = 236) and the amygdala (n = 201). Results show that Lewy pathology affects different parts of the olfactory pathways differentially, suggesting a specific pattern of development of pathology. Clinical Parkinson's disease is most likely to be identified if the orbito-frontal cortex is affected, while the diagnosis is less likely if the pathology is restricted to the olfactory bulb or tract. These results suggest that pathology in the olfactory bulb and tract occurs prior to clinical signs of Parkinson's disease. Furthermore, the results presented here provide further evidence supporting the possible value of a smell test to aid the clinical diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases.
PMID: 17553102 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
- Neuropsychology Abstract Of The Day: Olfaction And Neurodegenerative Disease
Just noticeable difference in olfaction: A discriminative tool between healthy elderly and patients with cognitive disorders associated with dementia Rhinology. 2011 15 1; 49(5): 513-518. Chopard G, Galmiche J, Jacquot L, Brand G Abstract Olfactory dysfunction...
- Neuropsychology Abstract Of The Day: Parkinson's Disease And Olfaction
Landis BN & Burkhard PR. Phantosmias and Parkinson disease. Archives of Neurology. 2008 Sep; 65(9): 1237-1239. BACKGROUND: Impaired olfaction is a common, nonmotor manifestation of Parkinson disease (PD). However, to our knowledge, qualitative olfactory...
- Neuropsychology Abstract Of The Day: Olfactory Functioning And Mild Cognitive Impairment (mci)
Djordjevic J, Jones-Gotman M, De Sousa K, & Chertkow H. (2007). Olfaction in patients with mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease. Neurobiology and Aging [epub ahead of print.] Montreal Neurological Institute, 3801 University Street, Department...
- Abstract Of The Day: Smell Identification And Anosmia Screening
Jackman AH & Doty RL. Utility of a three-item smell identification test in detecting olfactory dysfunction. Laryngoscope. 2005 Dec; 115(12): 2209-2212. From the Smell and Taste Center, Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Hospital...
- Olfactory Bulb Stem Cell Transplants And Als
A number of news reports are beginning to be published from presentations at Neuroscience 2004, the ongoing conference of the Society for Neuroscience. Here is one press release from Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions concerning a presentation about amyotrophic...