[Pathological changes of the chemosensory function in multiple sclerosis - an MRI study]

Abstract

Purpose: To examine possible causes for olfactory and gustatory dysfunction in MS patients in a prospective study with MRI.

Materials and methods: 30 MS patients (21 women, 11 men, 22 - 65 years, Ø 42 years) were examined by MRI. The olfactory bulb (OB) and olfactory brain volume was correlated with the number and volume of MS lesions in the olfactory brain and the non-olfactory brain. Olfactory testing was performed using the Threshold-Discrimination-Identification Test (TDI), and gustatory function was tested using the Taste-Strips-Test (TST).

Results: 33 % of the MS patients displayed olfactory dysfunction (8 % of the control group), and 17 % displayed gustatory dysfunction (5 % of the control group). There was a correlation between the olfactory brain volume and the number (r = -0.38, p < 0.05) and volume (r = -0.38, p < 0.05) of MS lesions in the olfactory brain. The olfactory brain volume correlated with the number of MS lesions in the non-olfactory brain (r = -0.48, p < 0.05). The volume of the left OB correlated with the volume of MS lesions in the olfactory brain (r = -0.42, p < 0.05), the number (r = 0.37, p < 0.05) and volume (r = 0.4, p < 0.05) of lesions in the left part of the olfactory brain and with the TST score (r = -0.45, p < 0.05). The TST score correlated with the volume of lesions in the left (r = -0.45, p < 0.05) and right part (r = -0.53, p < 0.05) of the olfactory brain. The TST score correlated with the number of lesions in the non-olfactory brain (r = -0.48, p < 0.05).

Conclusion: The correlation between a higher number and volume of MS lesions in the olfactory brain with a decreased OB and olfactory brain volume could help to explain olfactory and gustatory dysfunction in MS patients. Just the left OB correlated with the number and volume of lesions in the olfactory brain. Manual segmentation was a suitable method for measuring OB and olfactory brain volume.