Fig. 1.

The influence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and time since trauma (TST) on general olfactory function. 1a. odor detection was determined with the Smell Threshold Test (STT™), wherein a higher number (less negative) indicates a greater concentration of odorant and reduced detection/sensitivity. 1b. odor identification, with the University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test (UPSIT™), determined identification of 40 common odorants (---- indicates cut-off between normosmia and microsmia). Combat veterans with PTSD and more recent trauma (CV+PTSD with TST < 5 years) demonstrated increased detection/sensitivity (i.e. reliably detected the lowest concentration of phenyl ethyl alcohol (PEA) compared to the other groups), while the PTSD group with more distant traumas demonstrated the most reduced detection/sensitivity. Only combat veterans with more distant trauma (CV+PTSD with TST > 5 years) performed in the microsmia range for odor identification. Healthy combat veterans = CV-PTSD. * = group contrast with p < 0.05.