Abstract
Background: Behavioral changes in patients with seasonal affective disorder resemble seasonal changes in photoperiodic animals. Because the olfactory system has a modulatory role in seasonal photoperiodic responses in certain species, we hypothesized that olfactory function may differ between patients with seasonal affective disorder and healthy control subjects. Methods: Fourteen patients who had winter seasonal affective disorder and 16 healthy volunteers were studied once in winter and once in the subsequent summer. We administered a phenyl ethyl alcohol detection threshold test to each side of the nose in a counterbalanced order, with the nostril contralateral to the tested site occluded. Patient and control data were compared using a 4-way repeated measure analysis of covariance (with group and gender as between-subjects factors, season and side-of-the-nose as within-subjects factors, and age as a covariate). Results: The patients exhibited lower thresholds than did the controls (F1.25=9.2; P=.006). There was no main effect of season. Conclusion: In humans, marked seasonal behavioral rhythms with recurrent winter depression may be associated with a more acute sense of smell.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1119-1122 |
| Number of pages | 4 |
| Journal | Archives of General Psychiatry |
| Volume | 59 |
| Issue number | 12 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Dec 1 2002 |
| Externally published | Yes |
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ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Psychiatry and Mental health
Cite this
Patients with seasonal affective disorder have lower odor detection thresholds than control subjects. / Postolache, Teodor T.; Wehr, Thomas A.; Doty, Richard L.; Sher, Leo; Turner, Erick; Bartko, John J.; Rosenthal, Norman E.
In: Archives of General Psychiatry, Vol. 59, No. 12, 01.12.2002, p. 1119-1122.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Patients with seasonal affective disorder have lower odor detection thresholds than control subjects
AU - Postolache, Teodor T.
AU - Wehr, Thomas A.
AU - Doty, Richard L.
AU - Sher, Leo
AU - Turner, Erick
AU - Bartko, John J.
AU - Rosenthal, Norman E.
PY - 2002/12/1
Y1 - 2002/12/1
N2 - Background: Behavioral changes in patients with seasonal affective disorder resemble seasonal changes in photoperiodic animals. Because the olfactory system has a modulatory role in seasonal photoperiodic responses in certain species, we hypothesized that olfactory function may differ between patients with seasonal affective disorder and healthy control subjects. Methods: Fourteen patients who had winter seasonal affective disorder and 16 healthy volunteers were studied once in winter and once in the subsequent summer. We administered a phenyl ethyl alcohol detection threshold test to each side of the nose in a counterbalanced order, with the nostril contralateral to the tested site occluded. Patient and control data were compared using a 4-way repeated measure analysis of covariance (with group and gender as between-subjects factors, season and side-of-the-nose as within-subjects factors, and age as a covariate). Results: The patients exhibited lower thresholds than did the controls (F1.25=9.2; P=.006). There was no main effect of season. Conclusion: In humans, marked seasonal behavioral rhythms with recurrent winter depression may be associated with a more acute sense of smell.
AB - Background: Behavioral changes in patients with seasonal affective disorder resemble seasonal changes in photoperiodic animals. Because the olfactory system has a modulatory role in seasonal photoperiodic responses in certain species, we hypothesized that olfactory function may differ between patients with seasonal affective disorder and healthy control subjects. Methods: Fourteen patients who had winter seasonal affective disorder and 16 healthy volunteers were studied once in winter and once in the subsequent summer. We administered a phenyl ethyl alcohol detection threshold test to each side of the nose in a counterbalanced order, with the nostril contralateral to the tested site occluded. Patient and control data were compared using a 4-way repeated measure analysis of covariance (with group and gender as between-subjects factors, season and side-of-the-nose as within-subjects factors, and age as a covariate). Results: The patients exhibited lower thresholds than did the controls (F1.25=9.2; P=.006). There was no main effect of season. Conclusion: In humans, marked seasonal behavioral rhythms with recurrent winter depression may be associated with a more acute sense of smell.
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UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0036894552&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1001/archpsyc.59.12.1119
DO - 10.1001/archpsyc.59.12.1119
M3 - Article
C2 - 12470128
AN - SCOPUS:0036894552
VL - 59
SP - 1119
EP - 1122
JO - JAMA Psychiatry
JF - JAMA Psychiatry
SN - 2168-622X
IS - 12
ER -