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עמוד בית
Sat, 07.12.24

ORIGINAL ARTICLES

IMAJ | volume 25

Journal 8, August 2023
pages: 568-572

Smell Function in Schizophrenia During Acute Psychosis and Correlation with Clinical Symptomatology and Length of Hospitalization

1 Department of Psychiatry, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel 2 Zabludowicz Center for Autoimmune Diseases, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel 3 Department of Clinical Immunology, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel 4 Department of Psychiatry, Maayenei Hayeshua Medical Center, Bnei Brak, Israel 5 Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel 6 Faculty of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Quality Sciences, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel

Summary

Background:

While several studies have noted smell impairment in schizophrenia, it is unclear whether this impairment extends to acute psychosis and whether it is associated with more severe illness as expressed in extended hospitalization.

Objectives:

To evaluate the olfactory function of patients in an acute psychotic state and correlate it with clinical symptomatology and length of hospitalization.

Methods:

Olfactory function was assessed in 20 patients with schizophrenia in their first week of hospital admission for acute psychosis compared with matched controls. Olfaction was evaluated via three stages: threshold, discrimination, and identification of different odors utilizing the Sniffin' Sticks test battery.

Results:

Schizophrenia patients scored significantly lower on total smell score, discrimination, and identification abilities. A significant association was observed between hospitalization duration and total smell score and smell discrimination. No significant associations between smell and clinical symptomatology were observed.

Conclusions:

Study observations confirm impaired sense of smell in schizophrenia patients and suggest that smell impairment may be a potential marker of more serious illness as expressed in longer hospital stay.

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