OBJECTIVETo analyze the correlation between olfactory bulb (OB) volume with depth of olfactory sulcus (OS) and olfactory function in patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease (IPD).

METHODSOne hundred patients with IPD between January 2011 to December 2013 in Tianjin Huanhu Hospotal were compared with one hundred controls in terms of olfactory function T&T testing, OB volume and depth of OS assessed with Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). One hundred IPD patients were investigated and estimated H-Y degrees, UPDRS, MMSE, MoCA. SPSS 13.0 software was used to analyze the data.

RESULTST&T olfactory testing revealed that IPD patients (3.0 ± 0.3) had higher scores than controls (1.3 ± 0.2, t = 2.537, P < 0.01). Both men and women with IPD were affected by the same extent of olfactory loss (t = 0.893, P > 0.05). Both men and women as controls were affected by the same extent of olfactory loss(t = 1.184, P > 0.05). OB volume of left side in IPD patients was (34.25 ± 5.14) mm(3), right side was (35.79 ± 5.28)mm(3), average OB volume was (35.28 ± 5.21) mm(3); OB volume of left side in controls was (47.38 ± 6.47) mm(3), right side was (47.75 ± 6.51) mm(3), average OB volume was (47.53 ± 6.49) mm(3); OB volume were lower in IPD patients as compared to controls (t value were 2.876, 2.747, 2.798, all P < 0.01). OS depth study revealed no statistical difference between IPD patients and controls (t value were 0.914, 0.987, 0.951, all P > 0.05). Olfactory discriminate threshold was negatively correlated with average OB volume in IPD patients and controls (r value were -0.537,-0.526, both P < 0.05); was no correlated with average depth of OS (r value were -0.142, -0.157, both P > 0.05). There was relation between the average OB volume and UPDRS III, UPDRS, the degree of H-Y in IPD patients (r value were 0.312, -0.419, -0.358, all P < 0.05). However the average OB volume was not related to the course of disease (r = -0.089, P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThe OB volume is lower in IPD patients as compared to controls, the depth of OS have no significant changes in IPD patients; The OB volume is correlated with olfactory function, the depth of OS is not correlated with olfactory function; Olfactory function lower degree is accordance with serious degree in IPD patients, is not accordance with the course of disease.