Olfactory Dysfunction in Narcolepsy with and without Cataplexy

0343526 - ÚI 2011 RIV NL eng J - Journal Article
Bušková, J. - Klaschka, Jan - Šonka, K. - Nevšímalová, S.
Olfactory Dysfunction in Narcolepsy with and without Cataplexy.
Sleep Medicine. Roč. 11, č. 6 (2010), s. 558-561. ISSN 1389-9457. E-ISSN 1878-5506
Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10300504
Keywords : narcolepsy * cataplexy * narcolepsy without cataplexy * RBD * olfactory dysfunction
Subject RIV: FH - Neurology
Impact factor: 3.430, year: 2010

Not only patients in whom REM behavior disorder (RBD) is associated with narcolepsy, but also those with narcolepsy alone are reported to have olfactory dysfunction. We investigated if hyposmia is specific to narcolepsy with cataplexy (N-C) or if narcolepsy without cataplexy (NwC) is also associated with olfactory dysfunction. We studied olfactory function in two groups of patients: N-C group (n = 66), and NwC group (n = 17). As a control group we used published normative data for particular smell tests. Both patients with N-C and NwC had a significantly higher olfactory threshold and impaired odor identification. Our results show for the first time that narcolepsy without cataplexy, where the majority of cases have normal CSF hypocretin levels, is associated with olfactory dysfunction. It appears that also a partial loss of hypothalamic hypocretin neurons without a clear CSF level decrease can affect smell projection.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0185986