title: Olfactory function in acute traumatic brain injury.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Traumatic brain injury (TBI) represents a significant public health problem and is associated with a high rate of mortality and morbidity. Although TBI is amongst the most common causes of olfactory dysfunction the relationship between injury severity and olfactory problems has not yet been investigated with validated and standardized methods in the first days following the TBI.
  
  
  METHODS
  We measured olfactory function in 63 patients admitted with TBI within the first 12 days following the trauma by means of the Sniffin' Sticks identification test (quantitative assessment) and a parosmia questionnaire (qualitative assessment). TBI severity was determined by means of the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) and by duration of post-traumatic amnesia (PTA) as measured by the Galveston Orientation and Amnesia Test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Poor olfactory scores correlated with a longer amnesia period, but not with GCS scores. Further, we observed higher parosmia scores in assault victims than in victims of falls or motor vehicle collisions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We show that PTA is intimately related to olfactory problems following a TBI. Thus, a thorough evaluation of olfaction is essential in order to detect posttraumatic olfactory dysfunction and to take appropriate actions early on to help the individual deal with this impairment.
authors.affiliation: Center for Advanced Research in Sleep Medicine, Hôpital Sacré-Coeur de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada; Research Chair UQTR Chemosensory Neuroanatomy, Department of Anatomy, University of Quebec in Trois-Rivières, QC, Canada. Electronic address: johannes.a.frasnelli@uqtr.ca.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Frasnelli
authors.affiliation: Traumatic Brain Injury Program, McGill University Health Centre, Montréal, QC, Canada.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Laguë-Beauvais
authors.affiliation: Traumatic Brain Injury Program, McGill University Health Centre, Montréal, QC, Canada.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: LeBlanc
authors.affiliation: Neurology and Neurosurgery Department, McGill University Health Centre, Montréal, QC, Canada; Department of Neurosurgery, National Neurosciences Institute, King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: A Y
authors.initials: AY
authors.lastname: Alturki
authors.affiliation: Traumatic Brain Injury Program, McGill University Health Centre, Montréal, QC, Canada.
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Champoux
authors.affiliation: Traumatic Brain Injury Program, McGill University Health Centre, Montréal, QC, Canada.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Couturier
authors.affiliation: Psychology Department, University of Montreal, Montréal, QC, Canada.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.affiliation: Social and Preventive Medicine Department, University of Montreal, Montréal, QC, Canada.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lamoureux
authors.affiliation: Neurology and Neurosurgery Department, McGill University Health Centre, Montréal, QC, Canada.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Marcoux
authors.affiliation: Traumatic Brain Injury Program, McGill University Health Centre, Montréal, QC, Canada; Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation service, McGill University Health Centre, Montréal, QC, Canada.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tinawi
authors.affiliation: Traumatic Brain Injury Program, McGill University Health Centre, Montréal, QC, Canada; Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation service, McGill University Health Centre, Montréal, QC, Canada.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dagher
authors.affiliation: Neurology and Neurosurgery Department, McGill University Health Centre, Montréal, QC, Canada.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maleki
authors.affiliation: Traumatic Brain Injury Program, McGill University Health Centre, Montréal, QC, Canada.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Feyz
authors.affiliation: Psychology Department, University of Montreal, Montréal, QC, Canada; Neurology and Neurosurgery Department, McGill University Health Centre, Montréal, QC, Canada.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: de Guise
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000647:Amnesia / Q000209:etiology*; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D015600:Glasgow Coma Scale; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000857:Olfaction Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011379:Prognosis; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012903:Smell / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Craniocerebral trauma; Olfaction; Olfactory perception; Smell