%0 Journal Article
%T Modification of the Brief Smell Identification Test by Introduction of a Placebo
%A Grete Kjelvik
%A Ole Bosnes
%A Ragnhild Omli
%A Liv Heidi Skotnes
%A Asta K. H£¿berg
%A Linda R. White
%J Neuroscience & Medicine
%P 125-129
%@ 2158-2947
%D 2012
%I Scientific Research Publishing
%R 10.4236/nm.2012.32017
%X Objective: To introduce the concept that there might be ¡°nothing to smell¡± to the Brief Smell Identification Test (B-SIT), with a view to masking olfactory deficits, particularly from healthy control participants in research studies. Methods: Seventy-one elderly individuals, healthy for their age, were recruited to the study. They were blindfolded and carried out a modified B-SIT where one item had been replaced with a placebo, and one odour alternative answer to three other items was replaced by the alternative ¡°none/other¡± (actual odour unchanged). Results: There was no overall difference in the median or mean score achieved by the cohort compared to results obtained previously using the conventional B-SIT. The replacement of the item ¡°turpentine¡± with a placebo resulted in an improved score for the item in a Norwegian setting. The overall scores were not improved. Conclusions: It is possible to introduce the concept that there may be ¡°nothing to smell¡± to the B-SIT without compromising the test for healthy control individuals. This may be a more appropriate approach to olfactory testing of control individuals or patients with suspected early neurodegenerative diseases.
%K B-SIT
%K Odor Identification
%K Scratch and Sniff Tests
%K Norwegian Population
%K Olfactory Testing
%K Neurodegenerative Diseases
%U http://www.scirp.org/journal/PaperInformation.aspx?PaperID=19599