Short-term effects of supramaximal exercise on olfactory performance

Aim: The aim of the study was to investigate the acute effects of short-term exercise on olfactory performance. Methods: Fourty healthy male athletes (mean age: 21.25 ± 0.35 years) participated in the study. Sniffin' Sticks test was applied to all participants, followed by PNIF (Peak Nasal Inspiratory Flow) test which measures the nasal airway. The PNIF test was performed three times for each nostril with a one minute break. The participants were divided into two groups as control and study groups. After the PNIF test, the participants in the control group rested passively for eight minutes, while the study group performed the Wingate anaerobic test. After the rest and study sessions, PNIF and Sniffin Sticks discrimination test (SST-D) were repeated in both groups. The two bands of two channels fNIRS (Functional near-infrared spectroscopy) was applied to participants to reveal the hemodynamic changes in the prefrontal cortex. Results: A statistically significant increase was found in the SST-D scores for the study group while no significant change was observed in the PNIF test for the control group. Conclusion: The increase in nasal air flow due to exercise indirectly caused an increase in olfaction. Keywords: anaerobic exercise, nasal airway, olfaction, Sniffin' Sticks, fNIRS