DIFFERENTIAL-EFFECTS OF COCAINE, ALCOHOL, AND NICOTINE DEPENDENCE ON OLFACTORY EVOKED-POTENTIALS

Olfactory evoked potentials (OEP) were elicited by odorous and nonodor ous stimuli in 50 adult subjects: 26 subjects with histories of either cocaine (n = 19) or alcohol (n = 7) dependence, 10 with histories of nicotine but no other drug dependence, 2 with clinical anosmia of peri pheral origin, and 12 subjects without drug or olfactory disorders. Th e presentation of nonodorous stimuli (i.e. a nasal air puff) did not e licit OEP component amplitude and latency differences among the groups . However, the presentation of odorous stimuli elicited a significantl y smaller pi component in the cocaine-dependent and alcohol-dependent groups than in the normal control and nicotine-dependent groups. The P 1 amplitude deficit in the cocaine-dependent group is consistent with case report data associating cocaine use with lesions of the periphera l and/or central olfactory apparatus.