Since the emergence of SARS一CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID一19, various variants have surfaced, each leading to a diverse array of symptoms. Notably, beyond affecting the respiratory system, the virus also impacts the nervous system, with olfactory loss being a primary neurological symptom of COVID一19. A significant number of long COVID patients continue to experience persistent olfactory loss and urgently require effective interventions. This thesis aims to compare the recovery patterns of olfactory and cognitive functions in patients infected with the original and Omicron strains of the virus. It also seeks to explore methods to enhance the effectiveness of olfactory training.
In Study1 and Study 2, we recruited nearly 1,300 participants, including individuals infected with the original strain (Study 1), those infected with the Omicron strain (Study 2), and uninfected controls. We systematically assessed their chemosensory functions, cognitive performances, and depressive states. Overall, basic chemosensory functions gradually recovered within months post-infection.
Individuals infected with the Omicron variant recovered faster than those infected with the original strain. However, both strains resulted in cognitive impairments that were independent of depressive state, and these impairments showed no sign of recovery over time.
In Study3, we recruited healthy adults and trained them for odor discrimination in one of their two nostrils while providing feedback. The training materials consisted of pairs of odor enantiomers or binary odor mixtures in varying ratios. We examined the specificity/transfer and persistence of learning. The results indicated that discrimination learning was strictly confined to the trained nostril in those trained with odor enantiomers and did not transfer to odor enantiomers that were structurally unrelated to the trained pair. However, in those trained with odor mixtures, learning completely transferred to the untrained nostril and also partially generalized to untrained odor mixtures. In both cases, learning effects persisted for at least two weeks post-training.
Olfactory function is closely linked with cognition and emotion and is often considered an indicator of brain function integrity. Examining olfactory dysfunction and training could provide unique insights into strategies for maintaining and enhancing brain health.
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