Clinical Research Directory

Longitudinal Deep Phenotyping of Central Mechanisms in Dysosmia: A Pilot Study Using Electrobulbogram (EBG), Functional MRI (fMRI), and Diffusion-Weighted Imaging (DWI)

Background: Loss of the sense of smell can seriously affect a person's quality of life. The ability to smell can be damaged by many factors, including illnesses, injuries, and exposure to toxic chemicals. The effects can vary, including complete loss of smell, partial loss, and parosomia, which is when things smell differently than they should. Objective: To study how brain function changes in people with different types of smell disorders. Also, to look at how smell loss affects quality of life over time. Eligibility: People aged 18 years or older with a disorder that affects their sense of smell. Healthy volunteers are also needed. Design: Participants will have 5 study visits over 1 year. They will have various tests and procedures: Smell tests. They will have several tests that involve smelling different items and answering questions. Questionnaires. They will answer questions about their health, mood, sense of smell, and daily habits. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans. They will lie on a bed that slides into a tube. Padding will hold their head still. They will smell different odors while in the scanner. Electrobulbogram (EBG). They will wear a soft cap with sensors that measure brain activity. They will smell different odors while wearing the cap. Nasal endoscopy. A flexible tube will be inserted into a nostril to view the inside of the nose. Biopsy. A numbing substance will be sprayed into the nose. Then a scissor-like tool will be used to collect a sample of tissue from one or both nasal passages. Samples of blood, urine, and nasal fluid will be taken.

Adaptation Strategies for Coping With the Impact of Sensory Alterations on Eating Behavior in Children With Cancer: A Qualitative Study From the Perspective of Children and Parents

Childhood cancer is a serious and life-changing disease that affects thousands of children every year worldwide. In addition to the disease itself, cancer treatments such as chemotherapy often cause difficult side effects. Among these, changes in taste and smell are very common but still poorly understood in children. These sensory changes can make food taste unpleasant or smell different, leading children to eat less, avoid certain foods, or develop strong food aversions. As a result, many children with cancer experience weight loss, poor nutrition, and reduced quality of life, which can also affect how well they tolerate treatment. Research suggests that between 40% and 60% of children with cancer struggle to maintain good nutritional status during treatment. Taste and smell alterations play a major role in these difficulties. Children may experience nausea triggered by food smells, changes in food texture perception, or a loss of pleasure in eating. Parents often report feeling powerless and lacking clear guidance on how to help their child cope with these problems. While taste and smell disturbances have been widely studied in adults with cancer, much less is known about how children experience these changes and, importantly, how they and their families adapt to them. Parents play a key role in supporting their child's eating habits, but their perspectives may differ from the child's own experiences. This study aims to better understand how children undergoing chemotherapy and their parents perceive changes in taste, smell, and food texture, and how these changes affect eating behavior, emotions, and social life. Using individual semi-structured interviews, the study will explore the coping strategies used by children and parents to manage these sensory changes, both at home and in the hospital setting. By giving children and parents a voice, this research seeks to identify practical, real-life strategies that families find helpful. The results will contribute to improving nutritional support and guidance for children with cancer, with the ultimate goal of enhancing their well-being, quality of life, and treatment outcomes.

Prospective Registery of Smell/Taste Clinic Ear/Nose/Throat

Smell/taste disorders are common conditions with a significant impact on quality of life. In September 2021, a specific consultation for patients with smell and taste disorders was initiated at the ENT-HNS (ear, nose, and throat, head and neck surgery) department of UZ Leuven, partly in light of post-COVID-19 related smell disorders. With this observational ambidirectional study, the investigators aim to better map smell/taste disorders in the Belgian/Flemish population. Using standard-of-care diagnostic tests and structured questionnaires, the investigators strive to gain more insight into the severity, impact, and progression/prognosis of smell/taste disorders.

Olfactory Training in Various Populations

To date, there is no validated pharmacotherapy for olfactory disorders. Interestingly, olfactory training - the intentional exposure to odorants for the purposes of retraining the sense of smell - has shown success with as many as 28% of subjects over the course of 12 weeks.