TY - JOUR

T1 - Diagnostics of Olfactory Impairment Using the Novel Olfactory Test Panoramic Smell Test

AU - Толстихин, Юрий Владимирович

AU - Гаврилова, Наталия Юрьевна

AU - Сопрун, Лидия Александровна

AU - Таалайбек кызы, Ырыскул

PY - 2025/6/15

Y1 - 2025/6/15

N2 - Introduction. Olfactory dysfunction (dysosmia) is a common sensory disorder characterized by reduced threshold sensitivity, impaired odor discrimination, and compromised odor identification. This pilot study evaluated the novel Panoramic Smell Test, which sequentially assesses these three core components of olfactory function. Methods. We enrolled 113 healthy volunteers (86% women, 14% men) aged 18–75 years with no current ENT pathology, respiratory infections, or self-reported olfactory impairment. The Panoramic Smell Test comprised three stages: 1. Threshold testing using six concentrations of cis‑3‑hexenol (10%, 5%, 2.5%, 1.25%, 0.6%, 0%); 2. Discrimination testing with six odorant triplets, two identical and one distinct in each set; 3. Identification testing using six common household odors with four multiple-choice options per odor. The Kruskal-Wallis test, Friedman test and Spearman correlation coefficient were used for statistical analysis. Results. Threshold testing: median score = 6.0 (IQR 6.0–6.0), with no significant differences across concentrations. Discrimination testing: median = 4.0 (IQR 4.0–5.0), significant differences between triplets (p = 0.0089); the “tar–mushroom” pair yielded the highest correct identification rate (up to 95%). Identification testing: median = 4.0 (IQR 3.0–4.0), p ≤ 0.0001; “mushroom” and “nail lacquer” odors were the most accurately identified. Correlation analysis revealed a moderate association between total discrimination scores and performance on specific odorant pairs and a weaker correlation with identification scores, indicating partially independent processing levels. Conclusion. The Panoramic Smell Test demonstrates a clear hierarchy of odor perception that mirrors evolutionary and functional importance: “basic” odors (tar, mushroom) retain discriminative capacity longer under pathological conditions, whereas “upper-note” odors (lemon, jasmine) are more susceptible and may serve as early biomarkers of olfactory dysfunction. The proposed pyramidal diagnostic model offers detailed stratification of olfactory impairments and holds promise for integration into clinical practice to standardize testing and guide individualized rehabilitation.

AB - Introduction. Olfactory dysfunction (dysosmia) is a common sensory disorder characterized by reduced threshold sensitivity, impaired odor discrimination, and compromised odor identification. This pilot study evaluated the novel Panoramic Smell Test, which sequentially assesses these three core components of olfactory function. Methods. We enrolled 113 healthy volunteers (86% women, 14% men) aged 18–75 years with no current ENT pathology, respiratory infections, or self-reported olfactory impairment. The Panoramic Smell Test comprised three stages: 1. Threshold testing using six concentrations of cis‑3‑hexenol (10%, 5%, 2.5%, 1.25%, 0.6%, 0%); 2. Discrimination testing with six odorant triplets, two identical and one distinct in each set; 3. Identification testing using six common household odors with four multiple-choice options per odor. The Kruskal-Wallis test, Friedman test and Spearman correlation coefficient were used for statistical analysis. Results. Threshold testing: median score = 6.0 (IQR 6.0–6.0), with no significant differences across concentrations. Discrimination testing: median = 4.0 (IQR 4.0–5.0), significant differences between triplets (p = 0.0089); the “tar–mushroom” pair yielded the highest correct identification rate (up to 95%). Identification testing: median = 4.0 (IQR 3.0–4.0), p ≤ 0.0001; “mushroom” and “nail lacquer” odors were the most accurately identified. Correlation analysis revealed a moderate association between total discrimination scores and performance on specific odorant pairs and a weaker correlation with identification scores, indicating partially independent processing levels. Conclusion. The Panoramic Smell Test demonstrates a clear hierarchy of odor perception that mirrors evolutionary and functional importance: “basic” odors (tar, mushroom) retain discriminative capacity longer under pathological conditions, whereas “upper-note” odors (lemon, jasmine) are more susceptible and may serve as early biomarkers of olfactory dysfunction. The proposed pyramidal diagnostic model offers detailed stratification of olfactory impairments and holds promise for integration into clinical practice to standardize testing and guide individualized rehabilitation.

UR - https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/17061699-abc4-33d6-a2e8-59b4be535c99/

U2 - 10.32415/jscientia_2025_11_2_45-56

DO - 10.32415/jscientia_2025_11_2_45-56

M3 - Article

VL - 11

SP - 45

EP - 56

JO - JUVENIS SCIENTIA

JF - JUVENIS SCIENTIA

SN - 2414-3782

IS - 2

ER -