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. 2013 Nov;47(11):1636-41.
doi: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2013.07.014. Epub 2013 Aug 14.

The effect of odor valence on olfactory performance in schizophrenia patients, unaffected relatives and at-risk youth

Vidyulata Kamath  1 , Bruce I Turetsky, Monica E Calkins, Warren B Bilker, Nathan Frishberg, Karin Borgmann-Winter, Christian G Kohler, Catherine G Conroy, Raquel E Gur, Paul J Moberg
Affiliations

The effect of odor valence on olfactory performance in schizophrenia patients, unaffected relatives and at-risk youth

Vidyulata Kamath et al. J Psychiatr Res. 2013 Nov.

Abstract

Given the presence of odor identification impairment in individuals with schizophrenia and recent evidence of aberrant odor hedonic processing, the aim of this investigation was to examine the influence of valence and intensity on odor identification in schizophrenia patients, their first-degree family members, and young persons at clinical risk for psychosis. Participants completed the 16-item Sniffin' Stick Odor Identification Test. A logistic regression was conducted to assess the influence of valence and intensity on odor identification accuracy. Identification performance in the schizophrenia patients and youths at clinical risk for psychosis was significantly influenced by odor valence, but not intensity. Identification accuracy in first-degree family members was not influenced by valence or intensity. These data suggest that abnormalities in odor valence perception may represent an environmentally-mediated marker for hedonic disturbance that could have predictive utility in future conversion to psychosis. Further research examining the utility of odor valence measures as markers for psychosis risk is warranted.

Keywords: Anhedonia; Emotion; Olfaction; Schizophrenia prodrome; Smell identification.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Percent accuracy (mean±SE) by normative odor valence rating for schizophrenia patients and healthy comparison subjects.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Percent accuracy (mean±SE) by normative odor valence rating for clinical-risk and low-risk control groups.
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