title: Olfactory identification deficits in first-episode psychosis may predict patients at risk for persistent negative and disorganized or cognitive symptoms.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  One-third of patients with a schizophrenia spectrum disorder have a measurable olfactory identification deficit at first examination. The authors studied the relationship of this deficit to symptom remission after 1 year of treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-eight patients naive to antipsychotic medication who entered the Nova Scotia Early Psychosis Program were symptomatically rated with the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) (at baseline and 1 year). At baseline, the University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test (UPSIT) was also completed. Remission was determined for four symptom factors derived from the PANSS (positive, negative, cognitive/disorganized, and anxiety/depression). Patients with and without remission were compared on UPSIT scores.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients with nonremission of negative and cognitive/disorganized symptoms had significantly lower baseline UPSIT scores compared with patients with remission. UPSIT scores were unrelated to remission of positive or anxiety/depression symptoms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  UPSIT scores can be used to identify patients at risk for persistent negative and disorganized/cognitive symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada. kimpgood@dal.ca
authors.forename: Kimberley P
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Good
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Whitehorn
authors.forename: Qing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Rui
authors.forename: Heather
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Milliken
authors.forename: Lili C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Kopala
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015897:Comorbidity; D004192:Discrimination, Psychological / Q000502:physiology; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009812:Odorants; D000857:Olfaction Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012307:Risk Factors; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D012903:Smell / Q000502:physiology