Sense of Smell in Individuals with Fibromyalgia: a Tractography Study

• DOI: 10.1007/s00062-025-01515-6
• Publication Date: 2025-04-24T08:19:35Z
• Authors: İlyas Uçar; Fatih Çiçek; Fatma Gül Ülkü Demir; Turgut Seber; Mehmet Hilmi Akdeniz; Ahmet Payas; Kerem Kökoğlu
• Keywords: Entorhinal cortex; Orbitofrontal cortex

Abstract Purpose The etiopathogenesis of fibromyalgia (FM), which affects millions people worldwide, is still debated. Recent research provides significant evidence that there are changes in the functions central and peripheral nervous systems sense smell. This study analyzed clinical assessment results smell individuals with FM examined olfactory-related structures system. Methods Thirty patients 31 age- sex-matched asymptomatic controls participated this cross-sectional study. Participants’ was assessed Connecticut Chemosensory Clinical Research Center (CCCRC) including Butanol threshold test (BET) Smell Identification Tests. total number fibers, mean fiber length, ratio fibers pathway to whole brain same individual, fractional anisotropy (FA), diffusion (MD), axial (AD) radial (RD) values were calculated by tractography. Additionally, entorhinal cortex volume calculation performed MriStudio MriCloud software using Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) data DICOM format. Results BET CCCRC scores lower group ( p < 0.05). Similarly, FA olfactory tract on both right left sides However, volumes similar, no correlation between or groups > Conclusion Our study, included participants’ self-assessments obtained from system (CNS) images, supports idea have a decreased function. Decreased may be an indicator impaired myelin structure axonal adaptation FM.