Olfactory identification ability in anorexia nervosa.
OBJECTIVE
The hypothesis tested was that patients with severe eating disorders would demonstrate olfactory identification deficits as a result of zinc deficiency or malnutrition.


METHODS
The University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test (UPSIT) was administered to 27 hospitalized female patients with anorexia nervosa and 50 normal control female subjects. For a subgroup of patients, serum zinc levels and body mass indices were obtained at pre- and post-nutritional repletion phases.


RESULTS
UPSIT scores for patients with eating disorders were equivalent to normal control subjects in spite of the fact that the patients were nutritionally compromised as determined by body mass index. Serum zinc levels were not significantly different at pre- and post-nutritional repletion.


CONCLUSIONS
In contrast to patients with schizophrenia, patients with severe eating disorders have intact olfactory function. This finding suggests that transient metabolic or nutritional disturbances alone cannot account for previously reported olfactory deficits.
Kopala
L C
LC
Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver General Hospital, Canada.
Good
K
K
Goldner
E M
EM
Birmingham
C L
CL
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000856:Anorexia Nervosa / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D015992:Body Mass Index; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000857:Olfaction Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D012684:Sensory Thresholds / Q000502:physiology; D012903:Smell / Q000502:physiology*; D015032:Zinc / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000502:physiology
D015032:Zinc