FURTHER EVIDENCE FOR OLFACTORY IDENTIFICATION DEFICITS IN SCHIZOPHRENIA

Forty-seven schizophrenic patients and 36 normal controls, matched for smoking history, were administered the University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test (UPSIT) and the Picture Identification Test (PIT). Amongst subjects successfully completing the PIT, non-smoking schizophrenic patients had significantly lower UPSIT scores than non-smoking controls. Smoking history and diagnosis did not interact to produce any pronounced effect. No significant gender difference was found. These results suggest schizophrenics display decreased olfactory identification even if likely confounders are adequately controlled.