Olfactory bulb volumes in patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease - a pilot study

Olfactory loss is among early signs of idiopathic Parkinson's disease (IPD). The present pilot study aimed to investigate whether this loss would be reflected in a decreased volume of the olfactory bulb (OB) established through magnetic resonance imaging. Eleven consecutive IPD patients were compared to 9 healthy, age-matched controls. Results indicated that there is little or no difference between IPD patients and healthy controls in terms of OB volume. Based upon the relation between loss of olfactory input to the olfactory bulb and consecutive decrease in volume, these data support the idea that olfactory loss in IPD is not a primary consequence of damage to the olfactory epithelium but rather results from central-nervous changes.