Olfactory dysfunctions occurring in the course of Parkinson’s disease

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of this article is to provide a summary of findings concerning the olfactory loss associated with pathological neuro­ degenerative changes which occur in the course of Parkinson’s disease. Views: Olfactory function deficits occur in the early, prodromal stage of Parkinson’s disease and their severity is much higher, especially compared with other neurodegenerative diseases. Information on characteristics of olfactory loss in Parkinson’s disease is presented in the article. Conclusions: Authors indicate that olfactory function assessment is useful in differential diagnosis of neurodegenerative disorders in their prodromal stage and physiological aging. Olfactory ability evaluation may be also very helpful in differential diagnosis of parkinsonism syndromes. Severity of the olfactory impairment may be a good predictor of neuropsychiatric complications de­ velopment in Parkinson’s disease.