Hedonic Assessment of Odors: A Comparison of Two Sensory Scales for Use with Alzheimer’s Disease Patients and Elderly Individuals

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Atanasova, Boriana^{a; b; *} | Mondon, Karl^{a; c} | Dreyfuss, Lise^{b; d} | Beaufils, Emilie^{a; c} | Desmidt, Thomas^{a; c} | Hommet, Caroline^{a; c} | El-Hage, Wissam^{a; e} | Belzung, Catherine^{a; b}

Affiliations: [a] INSERM U1253, Université François-Rabelais de Tours, Tours, France | [b] UFR Sciences et Techniques, Université François-Rabelais de Tours, Tours, France | [c] Service de médecine interne Gériatrique, Centre Mémoire de Ressources et de Recherche, Centre Hospitalier Régional Universitaire, Tours, France | [d] BIOFORTIS Sensory and Consumer, Saint Herblain, France | [e] Clinique Psychiatrique Universitaire, Centre Hospitalier Régional Universitaire de Tours, Tours, France

Correspondence: [*] Correspondence to: Boriana Atanasova, INSERM U1253, Université François-Rabelais de Tours, 37200 Tours, France. Tel.: +33 0 247367305; E-mail: atanasova@univ-tours.fr.

Abstract: Background:Several clinical studies concerning the olfactory function of patients with cognitive impairment have used sensory scales to investigate hedonic perception. However, no study has focused on the choice of the most appropriate sensory hedonic scale for the individuals with neurodegenerative disorders or other psychiatric diseases involving cognitive deficits. Objective:The aim of this study was to investigate the ability of patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) to use two hedonic scales (category scale and linear scale) and compare their discriminatory capacity, repeatability, and ease of use. This should allow us to identify the most appropriate hedonic scale for patients with AD. Methods:We recruited 18 patients with mild to moderate AD, and 20 healthy volunteers matched for gender, age, smoking status, and educational level. The participants underwent a clinical assessment and hedonic evaluation of three odorants (pleasant, unpleasant, and neutral), using a five-point category scale and a 10-cm linear scale with a marked mid-point. Results:AD patients were able to use hedonic scales as well as paired healthy elderly subjects. The linear scale performed slightly better in terms of ease of use for both patients and healthy controls and discriminatory capacity for AD patients. The results for AD patients and controls with both scales were repeatable. Conclusion:The linear scale may be more appropriate for AD patients pending further studies involving a larger population of patients, using several odorants.

Keywords: Alzheimer’s disease, five-point category scale, hedonic evaluation, linear scale, olfaction

DOI: 10.3233/JAD-170433

Journal: Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, vol. 61, no. 3, pp. 929-938, 2018