---
title: Characterization of Olfactory Perception in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
nct_id: NCT06494306
overall_status: NOT_YET_RECRUITING
sponsor: Hospices Civils de Lyon
study_type: OBSERVATIONAL
primary_condition: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
countries: France
canonical_url: "https://parkinsonspathways.com/agent/trials/NCT06494306.md"
clinicaltrials_gov: "https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06494306"
ct_last_update_post_date: 2024-07-10
last_seen_at: "2026-05-12T06:40:45.585Z"
source: ClinicalTrials.gov (mirrored, no enrichment)
---
# Characterization of Olfactory Perception in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

**NCT ID:** [NCT06494306](https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06494306)

## Key Facts

- **Status:** NOT_YET_RECRUITING
- **Study Type:** OBSERVATIONAL
- **Target Enrollment:** 40
- **Lead Sponsor:** Hospices Civils de Lyon
- **Conditions:** Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
- **Start Date:** 2024-08-26
- **Completion Date:** 2026-08-25
- **CT.gov Last Update:** 2024-07-10

## Brief Summary

The core symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) include flash backs, intrusive pictures and thoughts related to the traumatic event, hyperalertness, avoidance of traumatic relevant environmental triggers and emotional dysregulation. Some studies suggest that PTSD is also associated with impaired olfactory perception, which seems quite intuitive regarding the close anatomical-functional connections between olfactory and emotional circuits. Furthermore, some studies reported that olfactory stimuli can trigger flashbacks in subjects with PTSD. However, up to know available data is scarce and heterogeneous concerning that topic. The goal of the study is to determine the olfactory phenotype of subjects with PTSD. More precisely, this project aims at filling the above mentioned gap by systematically assessing the olfactory perception of subjects with PTSD along five dimensions: olfactory identity, hedonic value, familiarity, desirability and edibility. As a secondary goal, the relative weight of olfaction compared to the other senses in the relived memories of subjects with PTSD will be assessed.

The investigators here hypothesize a global impairment in olfactory processing (intensity, hedonicity, familiarity and edibility judgments) in PTSD subjects, compared with healthy subjects.

## Eligibility

- **Minimum age:** 18 Years
- **Maximum age:** 50 Years
- **Sex:** ALL
- **Healthy Volunteers:** No

```
Inclusion Criteria:

* Age between 18 to 50
* Subjects with PTSD

Exclusion Criteria:

* Patients with a neurological history such as stroke, head trauma (e.g. exposure to explosions, sports injury…), neurodegenerative disease…
* Any psychiatric condition except PTSD and major depressive disorder
* Current or recent use of psychotropic drugs that may affect olfactory function.
* Any current or remitted addictive disorder.
* Pregnancy and breast-feeding women
```

## Arms

- **Patients with PTSD** — They are outpatients receiving psychological and medical treatment in the clinical department connected to the inclusion site
- **Control group** — Data from subjects without PTSD included in a previous study

## Interventions

- **European Test of Olfactory Capabilities (ETOC)** (BEHAVIORAL) — Investigators will collect the ETOC score in patient of both arms
- **Standardized Hedonicity Test** (BEHAVIORAL) — To smell 20 odorant solutions and for each odor and evaluate it along five dimensions: familiarity, hedonicity, edibility, desire to smell again, perceived intensity). Each dimension is assessed with a Likert scale (from 1 (not at all) to 9 (extremely))
- **Questionnaires** (BEHAVIORAL) — Patients with PTSD will have the following questionnaires : PTSD Checklist for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM)-V (PCL-5), Peri-trauma Dissociation Experience Questionnaire (PDEQ), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ9), Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale (SHAPS), Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) and Apathy Evaluation Scale (AES)
- **Odor / trauma association questionnaire** (BEHAVIORAL) — Patients with PTSD will have Odor / trauma association questionnaire

## Primary Outcomes

- **Standardized Hedonicity Test score** _(time frame: at inclusion)_ — Results obtained in patients will be compared to those obtained in control group

## Secondary Outcomes

- **Effects of potential moderators on odor judgement** _(time frame: at inclusion)_
- **Evaluation of sensory impressions of memories evoked by certain odors.** _(time frame: at inclusion)_
- **Evaluation of emotional valence of memories evoked by certain odors.** _(time frame: at inclusion)_

## Locations (1)

- Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Regional Center for Psychotrauma, Lyon, France

## Recent Field Changes (last 30 days)

- `status.overallStatus` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `status.primaryCompletionDate` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `status.completionDate` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `status.lastUpdatePostDate` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `design.enrollmentCount` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `eligibility.criteria` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `eligibility.minAge` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `eligibility.maxAge` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `eligibility.sex` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `outcomes.primary` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `outcomes.secondary` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `armsInterventions.arms` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `armsInterventions.interventions` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `sponsor.lead` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `results.hasResults` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `locations.auvergne-rhône-alpes regional center for psychotrauma|lyon||france` — added _(2026-05-12)_

---

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*Source data (authoritative): https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06494306*  
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