NCT06020937Not yet recruiting
Olfactory and Trigeminal Functions in Patients With Multiple Sclerosis: Case-control Study
Olfactory and Trigeminal Functions in Patients With Multiple Sclerosis
Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Last updated 12 May 2026
Brief summary (registry, in English)
The sensation of smell is influenced by the somatosensory and chemesthetic sensati¬ons of the nose: for example, the cooling sensation of menthol or the prickle of carbon dioxide from carbonated drinks. These sensations are mediated in the nose by the trigeminal nerve and there is increasing evidence that trigeminal and olfactory functions are closely linked and potentially interdependent. In addition, trigeminal activation is crucial to the perception of nasal airflow. Some researchers speculate about the impact of trigeminal nerve on the entire olfactory sensation and about the presence of some specific "trigeminal cells" into the nose.Patients with Multiple sclerosis (MS) can suffer from quantitative olfactory disorders that generally are of light entity and do not interfere with daily life activities but it is important to underline that olfactory loss can be an onset sign of the MS. Considering the "trigeminal component" in the olfaction, because trigeminal nerve inflammation is quite common in MS patients due to central and peripheral inflammation, it could be possible that these patients suffer from changes in the quantitative, but more in the qualitative smell functions that are generally not identified because poorly investigated.
- Status (registry)
- Not yet recruiting
- Study type
- Observational
- Enrollment
- 200 (estimated)
- First submitted
- 22 Aug 2023
- Start date
- 30 May 2026
- Primary completion date
- 30 Dec 2026
- Lead sponsor
- University of Catania
- Diseases
- Multiple sclerosis
- NCT number
- NCT06020937
What you commit to
- Study type: Observational
- Planned participants: 200
- From 30 May 2026 to the primary completion date, 30 Dec 2026
- 1 site in 1 country
- Visits and tests: ask the trial team, the registry does not list them
Built from the registry fields of ClinicalTrials.gov. It describes the study, not your situation.
Who cannot take part
Copied verbatim from ClinicalTrials.gov and grouped by topic. Only the trial team decides who can take part.
Prior treatment
- intake of drugs with sedating side effects
- Chronic alcoholism / drug abuse
Other illness
- Chronic rhinosinusitis with and without nasal polyposis; current allergic rhinitis; other nasal issues that lead to olfactory dysfunction
- anamnestic COVID with incomplete recovery
- Neurodegenerative disorders (Parkinson, Alzheimer, Fronto-temporal Dementia, cognitive impairment and brain vascular diseases)
- History of stroke in the last three years
- Depression or any psychiatric condition
- major health issues that might affect olfactory function (e.g., significant renal insufficiency, uncontrolled diabetes)
Other
- Severe head trauma
- Severe facial injuries
- Smoker over 20 cigarettes day or smoking from more than 15 years
Who the study is looking for
- Adult women (age 18 to 55) diagnosed with multiple sclerosis using the 2017 McDonald Criteria under treatment with Disease Modifying Therapy (DMTs) with or without trigeminal concerns, or newly diagnosed with MS
Age in the registry: 18 years to 55 years · Sex: Female · Accepts healthy volunteers
Sites (1)
Sites in registry order. Pick your city on the disease page to sort them by distance.
| Site | City | Country | Site status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arianna Di Stadio Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | Catania | Italy | Unknown status |
This page is information, not medical advice. Discuss any trial with your doctor.