title: Olfactory dysfunction discriminates Alzheimer's dementia from major depression.
abstract: This study tested the hypothesis that olfactory dysfunction could discriminate between groups of patients with Alzheimer's disease and major depression. Forty patients meeting DSM-IV criteria for Alzheimer's disease and for major depression (20 per group) underwent assessment with the Pocket Smell Test (PST), a three-item screening measure of cranial nerve I function. A PST score of < or = 1 (1 or 0 correct) discriminated between the groups with a hit rate of 90% (sensitivity = 80%, specificity = 100%). Olfactory assessment may be a useful adjunctive screening measure in differentiating Alzheimer's disease from depression in elderly patients.
authors.forename: G S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Solomon
authors.forename: W M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Petrie
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Hart
authors.forename: H B
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Brackin
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D009832:Olfactory Nerve / Q000503:physiopathology; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012903:Smell / Q000502:physiology*