Concussions can result in a loss of sense of smell

It was previously known that severe traumatic brain injury can result in a wide range of side effects, including loss of sense of smell. The researchers reveal that this is true even for minor concussions.

Researchers at the University of Montreal in Canada believe that even mild traumatic brain injury can lead to temporary changes in olfactory function. Concussion can also lead to emotional problems such as depression and anxiety.

Light concussions can occur at any time, such as falling off a bike, hitting the ski slopes, slipping on wet ground or banging your head against a pole. All these accidents can cause olfactory and anxiety problems.

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Olfaction and affective states in patients with mild traumatic brain injury

In the study, which was published in the journal Cerebral lesion – brain-damage, the researchers wanted to evaluate the olfaction 24 hours after the concussion and the follow-up after one year. They also studied the influence of cognition and affective states on olfactory function in patients with mild traumatic brain injury (TBI).

To test the olfactory function, the researchers visited the patients of the alpine ski resort in Switzerland from December 2016 to February 2017. Most of the patients who suffered a concussion had ski accidents.

They followed 42 patients. Of these, 20 had mild traumatic brain injury or benign concussion, and 22 had orthopedic injury or fractured limbs, but no concussion. Researchers badyzed the data within 24 hours of the accident by asking patients to identify synthetic odors of garlic, roses, solvent and clove, among others.

More than half of patients with mild TB had a reduced sense of smell

They found that 55% of people with mild brain trauma had a reduced sense of smell, compared to only 5% of those whose bones were broken or fractured.

After one year, patients were followed with questionnaires and a series of scratchbooks. The researchers compared the results of the two groups at 24 hours basic and one year after the accident. They found that most people with olfactory problems initially had their sense of smell within six months of the accident.

In addition, a year later, there was no difference in olfactory scores between the two groups. However, patients with mild concussion with reduced hyposmia or decreased odors initially experienced an increase in anxiety levels and other post-concussion symptoms compared with patients with mild TBI but normal olfactory at the start.

Although the problem of olfaction decreased several months after the accident, anxiety symptoms such as feeling of worry, sudden feeling of panic and relaxation problems did not occur. not mitigated. In fact, about 65% of patients with benign concussions reported these symptoms.

"In the acute phase of mild brain trauma, a majority of patients have impaired olfactory function. Patients with olfactory dysfunction are more likely to have post-concussion and anxiety symptoms during follow-up. Olfactory tests in the acute phase can therefore serve as a tool for screening long-term results, "the researchers concluded.

"Many people will suffer from a slight concussion at some point in their lives." Realizing the fact that they have a hard time feeling is the first step to telling their doctor, "said Fanny Lecuyer Giguère. , lead author and doctoral candidate in neuropsychology. A declaration.

"It is important for patients to report any loss of smell, as this is not something that their general practitioner or emergency physician usually asks for," she added.

Best Clinical Evaluation and Treatment

Being able to identify the problem at an early stage in patients with mild concussion could allow for individualized badessment and treatment. It can also provide better tracking to see if the loss of sense of smell and anxiety continues even after several months after the accident.

In addition, in some patients, loss of smell may not be considered a post-symptomatic symptom of concussion. Doctors must teach patients to check if symptoms appear in the days or weeks following the accident.

The researchers recommend continuing research, but on a larger scale, to determine whether there is an badociation between olfaction and anxiety in mild cases of TBI.