• Netta Shoenfeld, Nancy Agmon-Levin, David R Serfaty, Revital Mann, Bat-Sheva Porat Katz, and Rael D Strous.
• Department of Psychiatry, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel, Zabludowicz Center for Autoimmune Diseases, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel.
• Isr Med Assoc J. 2023 Aug 1; 25 (8): 568572568-572.

BackgroundWhile several studies have noted smell impairment in schizophrenia, it is unclear whether this impairment extends to acute psychosis and whether it is associated with more severe illness as expressed in extended hospitalization.ObjectivesTo evaluate the olfactory function of patients in an acute psychotic state and correlate it with clinical symptomatology and length of hospitalization.MethodsOlfactory function was assessed in 20 patients with schizophrenia in their first week of hospital admission for acute psychosis compared with matched controls. Olfaction was evaluated via three stages: threshold, discrimination, and identification of different odors utilizing the Sniffin' Sticks test battery.ResultsSchizophrenia patients scored significantly lower on total smell score, discrimination, and identification abilities. A significant association was observed between hospitalization duration and total smell score and smell discrimination. No significant associations between smell and clinical symptomatology were observed.ConclusionsStudy observations confirm impaired sense of smell in schizophrenia patients and suggest that smell impairment may be a potential marker of more serious illness as expressed in longer hospital stay.

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