GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – Winemakers, oenologists and serious wine amateurs who suffer from depression may find their health problems compounded by the loss of their ability to smell. New research from the Université François-Rabelais de Tours indicates that people suffering from depression may discover that the loss of their olfactory senses is a sign that they are slipping into depression again.
The national health and medical research institute Inserm, in France, published the research 5 November, showing that people suffering from severe depression are likely to be unable to enjoy pleasurable smells. The ability to distinguish smells also appeared to be part of their depression, even after treatment that was otherwise considered successful. One particularly surprising result: vanilla, cinnamon and bitter almond were classified as unpleasant odours.
Studies are now underway to see if similar olfactory problems appear in patients with Alzheimers and alcohol dependency.