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DOI: 10.1055/s-0038-1640861
Examination of olfactory training effectiveness in relation to its complexity and the cause of olfactory loss
Introduction:
The effectiveness of olfactory training (OT) has been documented. However, the optimal regimen for OT remains unclear. We examined whether alteration of odor quantity and quality increases its effectiveness.
Methods:
108 patients with postinfectious (n = 57) or idiopathic (n = 51) olfactory dysfunction underwent OT. Olfactory function was tested before and after OT. The following experimental conditions were studied: 1) simple training with single-molecule substances; 2) complex OT with odor mixtures; 3) OT with sets of mixtures being changed every 2 months.
Results:
Analyses revealed that the benefit seen in this sample was not affected by the complexity of OT with regard to odor mixtures or alteration of odor type. The highest increase of olfactory fucntion was observed in postinfectious patients.
Conclusion:
OT is effective but its outcome is not strongly influenced by the training regimen.
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No conflict of interest has been declared by the author(s).
Publication History
Publication Date:
18 April 2018 (online)
© 2018. The Author(s). This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial-License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
Georg Thieme Verlag KG
Stuttgart · New York