Study of Olfactory Tissue Function and Changes in Alzheimers and Other Smell Disorders Using Biopsies and Smell Tests

What this Trial Is About

This research study focuses on investigating the function of the olfactory lining in the nasal cavity and how it may change in healthy individuals and those with diseases affecting smell, such as Alzheimers disease, inflammatory conditions, aging, or post-viral smell loss. The study aims to analyze the active cell populations in human olfactory tissue to better understand these changes. Participants will undergo smell testing using validated methods like the Smell Identification Test or Sniffin Sticks Test. Biopsies of the olfactory lining may be collected in a clinic or operating room using a cytology brush or punch technique, sometimes after brief exposure to odors to stimulate olfactory cells. The collected tissue will be processed for various laboratory analyses including histology, culture assays, flow cytometry, and transcriptomic profiling. During the study, participants will be assessed with smell tests and may have nasal biopsies collected with topical anesthesia and nasal endoscopy. Researchers will measure changes in gene transcription in olfactory cells over about five years. The study includes both healthy people and those with smell loss or Alzheimers. Participation involves clinic visits for testing and biopsy collection, with careful monitoring of olfactory function and tissue analysis throughout the study period.

Olfactory Biopsies