Does an Impaired Sense of Smell Predict Aggression?
The October, 2007 issue of Psychological Medicine presents a study examining the incidence of impulsive violence in war veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Based on previous research examing the role of orbitoprefrontal cortex (OFC) pathology (including impaired olfactory identification ability) in impulsive aggression, the study examined olfactory identification (OI) ability in war veterans with PTSD. Using a sample of 31 out-patient male war veterans with PTSD (mean age of 58.23 years) recruited from a Melbourne Veterans Psychiatry Unit, and 31 healthy age- and gender-matched controls (mean=56.84 years), all participants were assessed on clinical measures of PTSD, depression, anxiety, and alcohol abue. They were also given measures of olfactory identification; neurocognitive measures of brain functioning. and self-report measures of aggression and impulsivity. The results indicated that veterans with PTSD exhibited significant OI deficits (OIDs) compared to controls despite no significant difference in performance on cognitive measures. Differences in olfactory ability were found even after controlling for IQ, anxiety, depression and alcohol abuse. Olfactory deficits were also found to be significant predictors of aggression and impulsivity. The authors discuss the results in relation to other evidence of orbitoprefrontal dysfunction in the relation to PTSD. The authors also stress the potential value of olfactory identification deficits in diagnosizing PTSD and in targetting treatment for individuals with a greater susceptibility to aggressive and impulsive behaviors.
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