Blunted Hazard Detection and Enhanced Appetitive Odor Recognition in Risky Alcohol Consumers.

Abstract

Objective: An inability to correctly perceive chemosensory stimuli can lead to a poor quality of life. Such defects can be concomitant with excess alcohol consumption, but a large-scale cohort study linking these effects is lacking. This study aimed to investigate the impact of chronic alcohol consumption on chemosensory function by analyzing data from the 2013-2014 U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), involving 395 participants categorized by alcohol intake behavior: 219 no-intake, 136 light-intake, and 40 risky-intake groups.

Method: Chemosensory function was assessed using a self-reported Chemosensory Questionnaire along with objective tests for taste (quinine solution) and smell (appetitive and hazardous odors). Adjusted regression analyses were conducted, controlling for age, gender, smoking status, and multiple pairwise comparisons. Weighted regression analyses were also performed.

Results: Risky drinkers had significantly lower odds of identifying quinine (bitter taste) compared with light drinkers (odds ratio [OR] = 0.37, p-adjusted = .04). Risky drinkers also had higher odds of identifying appetitive odors such as strawberry (OR = 5.44, p-adjusted = .03) but lower odds for detecting hazardous odors such as natural gas (OR = 0.11, p-adjusted = .001) compared with light drinkers. In addition, light drinkers identified the leather scent more effectively than nondrinkers (OR = 2.54, p = .02).

Conclusions: Chronic alcohol consumption, particularly at risky levels, is associated with altered chemosensory function. These findings emphasize the importance of assessing chemosensory symptoms in individuals with alcohol-related behaviors.