title: What are Probable Olfactory Markers of Alcohol Dependence?
abstract: As the olfactory system is closely connected with the brain areas responsible for the most crucial alterations in psychiatric populations, especially cognitive and emotional impairments, the study of olfactory processing may be a relevant approach to identify specific markers of alcohol dependence. The aim of this study was to propose the probable olfactory markers for alcohol dependence through a study of the olfactory parameters that involve the central olfactory pathway. We recruited the same 41 alcohol-dependent patients in an early (day 8) and late (day 67) stage of abstinence and 41 controls matched for gender, age, and smoking status. The participants underwent clinical assessments and several olfactory evaluations. The results revealed on one hand, the persistence of decreased intensity of positive emotion (happy), increased intensity of negative emotion (sad), and increased citation of surprise in patients, suggesting the presence of probable trait markers of alcohol dependence. On the other hand, we found decreased hedonic score for pleasant and neutral odorants, and decreased odor familiarity judgment only in the early stage of evaluation as probable state markers for alcohol dependence. These results may be underpinned by several neuropsychological alterations specific to this disease and their evolution after weaning. Further studies are needed to replicate these findings and to confirm the specificity and sensitivity of the olfactory tests in a larger sample of patients. The olfactory perception of all controls must be also retested in order to determine the specific state and/or trait markers of alcohol dependence.
authors.affiliation: INSERM U930, équipe 4 Troubles Affectifs, UFR Sciences et Techniques, Université François Rabelais, 37200 Tours, France, atanasova@univ-tours.fr.
authors.forename: Boriana
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Atanasova
authors.affiliation: INSERM U930, équipe 4 Troubles Affectifs, UFR Sciences et Techniques, Université François Rabelais, 37200 Tours, France.|Clinique Psychiatrique Universitaire, CHRU de Tours, 37200 Tours, France.
authors.forename: Fayçal Mehdi
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Goumeidane
authors.affiliation: INSERM U930, équipe 4 Troubles Affectifs, UFR Sciences et Techniques, Université François Rabelais, 37200 Tours, France.
authors.forename: François
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kazour
authors.affiliation: INSERM U930, équipe 4 Troubles Affectifs, UFR Sciences et Techniques, Université François Rabelais, 37200 Tours, France.
authors.forename: Henri
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Schmitt
authors.affiliation: Centre Hospitalier Louis Sevestre, 37390 La Membrolle-sur-Choisille, France and.
authors.forename: Marion
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Husson
authors.affiliation: INSERM U930, équipe 4 Troubles Affectifs, UFR Sciences et Techniques, Université François Rabelais, 37200 Tours, France.|Clinique Psychiatrique Universitaire, CHRU de Tours, 37200 Tours, France.
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gaillard
authors.affiliation: INSERM U930, équipe 4 Troubles Affectifs, UFR Sciences et Techniques, Université François Rabelais, 37200 Tours, France.|Clinique Psychiatrique Universitaire, CHRU de Tours, 37200 Tours, France.
authors.forename: Wissam
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: El-Hage
authors.affiliation: INSERM U930, équipe 4 Troubles Affectifs, UFR Sciences et Techniques, Université François Rabelais, 37200 Tours, France.|Clinique Psychiatrique Universitaire, CHRU de Tours, 37200 Tours, France.|Equipe de Liaison et de Soins en Addictologie, CHRU de Tours, 37200 Tours, France.
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ballon
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology*; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009812:Odorants / Q000032:analysis; D000857:Olfaction Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D009833:Olfactory Pathways; D055696:Olfactory Perception; D012903:Smell
keywords: alcohol dependence; early/late stage of abstinence; markers; olfaction