Sjölund Sara, Larsson Maria, Olofsson Jonas K, Seubert Janina, Laukka Erika J
Gösta Ekman's Laboratory, Department of Psychology, Stockholm University, Frescati Hagväg 9 A, 10691 Stockholm, Sweden.
Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Psychology Division, Karolinska Institutet, Nobels väg 9, 17165 Stockholm, Sweden.
Chem Senses. 2017 May 1;42(4):309-318. doi: 10.1093/chemse/bjx006.
Loss of olfactory function is common in old age, but evidence regarding qualitative olfactory dysfunction in the general older population is scarce. The current study investigates the prevalence and correlates of phantom smell experiences (phantosmia) in a population-based study (Swedish National Study on Aging and Care in Kungsholmen [SNAC-K]) of Swedish adults (n = 2569) aged between 60 and 90 years. Phantosmia was assessed through a standardized interview and defined as reporting having experienced an odor percept in the absence of any stimuli in the surrounding environment that could emit the odor. The relationships between phantosmia and demographic, genetic, health-related, and behavioral variables were analyzed with hierarchical logistic regression analyses. The overall prevalence of phantom smells was 4.9%, and was associated with female gender, carrying the met allele of the BDNF gene, higher vascular risk burden, and reporting distorted smell sensations (parosmia). Olfactory dysfunction was, however, not related to phantosmia. The most frequently reported phantom smell was smoky/burnt. A novel finding was that some individuals reported phantom smells with an autobiographical connotation. The results from this study indicate that the prevalence of phantosmia in the general older population is not negligible and that some factors that are beneficial for preserved olfactory function, such as female gender and the BDNF met allele, are also associated with the occurrence of phantom smells.
嗅觉功能丧失在老年人群中很常见，但关于一般老年人群质性嗅觉功能障碍的证据却很少。在一项基于人群的瑞典成年人（n = 2569）研究（瑞典 Kungsholmen 地区老龄化与护理国家研究 [SNAC-K]）中，年龄在 60 至 90 岁之间，本研究调查了幻嗅体验（phantosmia）的患病率及其相关因素。通过标准化访谈评估幻嗅，其定义为在周围环境中不存在任何能散发该气味的刺激时，报告经历过气味感知。采用分层逻辑回归分析来分析幻嗅与人口统计学、遗传学、健康相关及行为变量之间的关系。幻嗅的总体患病率为 4.9%，且与女性性别、携带脑源性神经营养因子（BDNF）基因的 met 等位基因、更高的血管风险负担以及报告嗅觉扭曲（嗅觉倒错）有关。然而，嗅觉功能障碍与幻嗅无关。最常报告的幻嗅是烟熏味/烧焦味。一个新发现是，一些个体报告的幻嗅带有自传性内涵。本研究结果表明，一般老年人群中幻嗅的患病率不可忽视，并且一些对保留嗅觉功能有益的因素，如女性性别和 BDNF met 等位基因，也与幻嗅的发生有关。
