Neuroscience, Systems and Cognition (NEUROCS) and Health and Psychological Development (CSDP) Research Units, Institute of Psychology, Catholic University of Louvain, 10, Place C. Mercier, 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium.
Biol Psychol. 2011 Sep;88(1):28-36. doi: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2011.06.004. Epub 2011 Jun 28.
Olfactory abilities are crucial in the development and maintenance of alcoholism, but while they have been widely explored in other psychiatric states, little is known concerning this sensorial modality among alcoholics. The present study explored the brain correlates of the olfaction deficit in alcoholism. Ten alcoholics and ten matched controls took part in psychophysical and electrophysiological olfactory testing. At behavioural level, we showed odor identification deficits in alcoholism, for orthonasal and retronasal testing. Electrophysiological data showed abnormalities (in latency and amplitude) for N1 and P2 olfactory components among alcoholics, which constitutes the first description of the cerebral correlates of olfactory impairments in alcoholism. This deficit appears associated with alterations in the brain structures responsible for the secondary, "cognitive" processing of odors. These results underline the need to take into account olfactory deficits in clinical practice and in studies exploring brain correlates of craving by means of alcohol odors.
嗅觉能力在酗酒的发展和维持中至关重要，但尽管在其他精神状态中已经广泛研究了嗅觉能力，但对于酗酒者的这种感觉模式知之甚少。本研究探讨了酗酒者嗅觉缺陷的大脑相关性。十名酗酒者和十名匹配的对照者参加了心理物理学和电生理学嗅觉测试。在行为水平上，我们在酗酒者的嗅探和后鼻测试中发现了气味识别缺陷。电生理数据显示酗酒者的 N1 和 P2 嗅觉成分存在异常（潜伏期和振幅），这是首次描述酗酒者嗅觉损伤的大脑相关性。这种缺陷似乎与负责气味的“认知”处理的大脑结构的改变有关。这些结果强调了在临床实践中以及在通过酒精气味探索与渴望相关的大脑相关性的研究中，需要考虑嗅觉缺陷。
