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Possible relation between olfaction and anxiety in healthy subjects
Author(s) -
Takahashi Tsutomu,
Itoh Hiroko,
Nishikawa Yumiko,
Higuchi Yuko,
Nakamura Mihoko,
Sasabayashi Daiki,
Nishiyama Shimako,
Mizukami Yuko,
Masaoka Yuri,
Suzuki Michio
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
psychiatry and clinical neurosciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.609
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1440-1819
pISSN - 1323-1316
DOI - 10.1111/pcn.12277
Subject(s) - olfaction , olfactometer , anxiety , psychology , odor , audiology , olfactory system , clinical psychology , developmental psychology , psychiatry , medicine , neuroscience , biology , ecology , host (biology)
Aims While olfaction is a sense closely associated with the limbic system and emotions, the relation between emotional status and olfactory functioning has not been well documented. This study aimed to examine the possible effect of anxiety on olfaction in healthy subjects. Methods We investigated the effect of state and trait anxiety on the detection and recognition thresholds for five different odors in 124 healthy subjects (62 men and 62 women, mean age = 27.2 years) using a T&T olfactometer. Results While the influences of age, socioeconomic status, IQ , and smoking history on olfaction were not significant, women had a lower recognition threshold for the odor of sweet fruit and a higher detection threshold for that of rotten food as compared with men. Both state and trait anxiety ratings were significantly associated with reduced olfactory ability, especially for identification of rose odor. Conclusions These findings suggest that emotional status affects olfactory functioning in healthy subjects. Our findings may also partly explain the mild olfactory impairment reported in clinical conditions, such as anxiety disorders.