Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
Conditions
Keywords
Post traumatic stress disorder, Olfactory perception, Olfaction, Odor
Brief summary
The core symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) include flash backs, intrusive pictures and thoughts related to the traumatic event, hyperalertness, avoidance of traumatic relevant environmental triggers and emotional dysregulation. Some studies suggest that PTSD is also associated with impaired olfactory perception, which seems quite intuitive regarding the close anatomical-functional connections between olfactory and emotional circuits. Furthermore, some studies reported that olfactory stimuli can trigger flashbacks in subjects with PTSD. However, up to know available data is scarce and heterogeneous concerning that topic. The goal of the study is to determine the olfactory phenotype of subjects with PTSD. More precisely, this project aims at filling the above mentioned gap by systematically assessing the olfactory perception of subjects with PTSD along five dimensions: olfactory identity, hedonic value, familiarity, desirability and edibility. As a secondary goal, the relative weight of olfaction compared to the other senses in the relived memories of subjects with PTSD will be assessed. The investigators here hypothesize a global impairment in olfactory processing (intensity, hedonicity, familiarity and edibility judgments) in PTSD subjects, compared with healthy subjects.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALStandardized Hedonicity Test
To smell 20 odorant solutions and for each odor and evaluate it along five dimensions: familiarity, hedonicity, edibility, desire to smell again, perceived intensity). Each dimension is assessed with a Likert scale (from 1 (not at all) to 9 (extremely))
BEHAVIORALEuropean Test of Olfactory Capabilities (ETOC)
Investigators will collect the ETOC score in patient of both arms
BEHAVIORALQuestionnaires
Patients with PTSD will have the following questionnaires : PTSD Checklist for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM)-V (PCL-5), Peri-trauma Dissociation Experience Questionnaire (PDEQ), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ9), Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale (SHAPS), Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) and Apathy Evaluation Scale (AES)
BEHAVIORALOdor / trauma association questionnaire
Patients with PTSD will have Odor / trauma association questionnaire
Sponsors
Hospices Civils de Lyon
Study design
Observational model
CASE_CONTROL
Time perspective
PROSPECTIVE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 50 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* Age between 18 to 50 * Subjects with PTSD
Exclusion criteria
* Patients with a neurological history such as stroke, head trauma (e.g. exposure to explosions, sports injury…), neurodegenerative disease… * Any psychiatric condition except PTSD and major depressive disorder * Current or recent use of psychotropic drugs that may affect olfactory function. * Any current or remitted addictive disorder. * Pregnancy and breast-feeding women
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Standardized Hedonicity Test score | at inclusion | Results obtained in patients will be compared to those obtained in control group |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Evaluation of sensory impressions of memories evoked by certain odors. | at inclusion | Sensory impressions: Nature and frequency of sensory descriptions associated with odor-evoked memories |
| Evaluation of emotional valence of memories evoked by certain odors. | at inclusion | Language analysis: Use of Natural Language Processing (NLP) techniques to assess the emotional valence of odor-evoked memories and recurrent themes in oral responses concerning evoked memories. Analysis of the association of trauma-related odors with the 5 senses |
| Effects of potential moderators on odor judgement | at inclusion | Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) to determine the effect of different moderators (age, gender, type of trauma, time elapsed since trauma, type of treatment received, symptom intensity) on olfactory perception |
Countries
France
Contacts
Primary ContactVIGNAUD Philippe, MD, PhD
Backup ContactGALIA Perrine, CRA
Outcome results
None listed