University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test

Introduction:

The sense of smell is a very difficult sensation to assess. Alzeimer's disease can be identified rather early when olfactory disturbances become evident. Alzeimer's disease is known to affect odor identification and odor detection. UPSIT (University of Pennsylvania smell identification test) is the most commonly used test protocol to identify olfactory disturbances. This test was first conceived by Richard L. Doty.

UPSIT:

This test attempts to measure an individuals ability to detect odors at suprathreshold levels. The basic advantage of this test is that it can be easily performed as an outpatient procedure. This test was initially introduced at the University of Pennsylvania and hence commonly goes by the name. Other tests like Scandanavian smell identification tests are less commonly used.

This test can be self administered. Four different 10 page booklets are utilized for this purpose. Each of these booklets contains scratch and sniff strips which is embedded with microencapsulated odorant. Patient after scratching and sniffing need to answer 40 questions. These questions forces the patient to answer in an yes or no pattern. The answers to these questions are compared with that of normative data base which has already been created by meticulously administering the test on 4000 normal individuals. The only flip side of this test is that the data (normative ones) have been arrived at using American subjects. The accuracy of this test in other races is being questioned due to its American bias. The popularity of this test can be gauged from the fact that these questions have been translated into 13 different languages.

Image showing an UPSIT booklet