Differential effects of cocaine, alcohol, and nicotine dependence on olfactory evoked potentials.
Olfactory evoked potentials (OEP) were elicited by odorous and nonodorous stimuli in 50 adult subjects: 26 subjects with histories of either cocaine (n = 19) or alcohol (n = 7) dependence, 10 with histories of nicotine but no other drug dependence, 2 with clinical anosmia of peripheral origin, and 12 subjects without drug or olfactory disorders. The presentation of nonodorous stimuli (i.e. a nasal air puff) did not elicit OEP component amplitude and latency differences among the groups. However, the presentation of odorous stimuli elicited a significantly smaller P1 component in the cocaine-dependent and alcohol-dependent groups than in the normal control and nicotine-dependent groups. The P1 amplitude deficit in the cocaine-dependent group is consistent with case report data associating cocaine use with lesions of the peripheral and/or central olfactory apparatus.
Department of Psychiatry, MC 2103, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington 06030, USA.
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Bauer
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Mott
D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003042:Cocaine; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000857:Olfaction Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology; D009833:Olfactory Pathways / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D009293:Opioid-Related Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted; D012903:Smell / Q000187:drug effects*; D012907:Smoking / Q000503:physiopathology*
D003042:Cocaine