Ratings of hedonic (A) and irritating (B) odours by MCS patients (<i>n</i> = 12) and controls (<i>n</i> = 11) after the olfactory stimulation.

<p>Abbreviations: MO: mandarin orange, Pf: perfume, NO: non-odorant, JC: Japanese cypress, Mt: menthol. Numbers in parentheses indicate orders of ten repetitions (1 to 10). Statistically significant differences between groups are indicated. ^*<i>p</i><0.05, ^**<i>p</i><0.01.</p

Results of the <i>t</i>-test for the physical and psychological scales.

<p>Values are expressed as means (± standard deviations).</p><p>*Significant at <i>p</i><0.05.</p>a<p>Because of missing values, <i>t</i>-test results included the following numbers of patients. MCS and control: CSS-SHR, MUSS, APQ, TMAS, MCSD, TAS, TAS-20, TAS-20 DIF, TAS-20 DDF and TAS-20 EOT, <i>n</i> = 11 and <i>n</i> = 10; SSAS, CHS, CNSS and CSAS, <i>n</i> = 11 and <i>n</i> = 11; NAS, <i>n</i> = 10 and <i>n</i> = 11.</p><p>Abbreviations: CI, chemical intolerance; OI, other intolerance; SS, symptom severity.</p

Results of the <i>t</i>-test in terms of average values for all channels (1 to 42) comparing z scores for oxyHb between MCS patients and controls.

<p>Values are expressed as means (± standard deviations).</p><p>*Significant at <i>p</i><0.05.</p><p>Abbreviations: MO, mandarin orange; Pf, perfume; NO, non-odorant; JC, Japanese cypress; Mt, menthol. Numbers in parentheses in column 1 indicate the order of the 10 repetitions (1 to 10).</p

Correlation coefficient (r) between rCBF after the first and second exposures to the odor in terms of z scores for all channels (1 to 42).

<p>Values are expressed as Pearson product-moment correlation coefficients.</p><p>*Significant at <i>p</i><0.05.</p><p>Abbreviations: MO, mandarin orange; Pf, perfume; NO, non-odorant; JC, Japanese cypress; Mt, menthol.</p

Experimental setting and NIRS channel orientation.

<p>Detectors and illuminators are shown as gray circles (1 to 14). Channels are shown as white squares (1 to 42). The international 10–20 standard positions and other positional information are indicated. One holder with 42 NIRS channels was set on the PFC of each patient so that the midpoint of channels 38 and 39 corresponded to the intersection point of the F7, F8 and Fz of the international 10–20 system and channels 35 to 38 and 39 to 42 aligned with F8 and F7, respectively.</p

Average <i>t</i> value of each channel comparing z scores for oxyHb between MCS patients (<i>n</i> = 12) and controls (<i>n</i> = 11).

<p>Statistically significant differences between groups are indicated as underlined values. ^*<i>p</i><0.05, ^**<i>p</i><0.01. Significant tendencies are indicated: ⁺<i>p</i><0.10.</p

Topographical maps of average z scores for oxyHb in MCS patients (<i>n</i> = 12) and controls (<i>n</i> = 11).

<p>Abbreviations: MO: mandarin orange, Pf: perfume, NO: non-odorant, JC: Japanese cypress, Mt: menthol. Numbers in parentheses indicate the order of the 10 repetitions (1 to 10).</p

Demographic characteristics of the study population.

<p>Demographic characteristics of the study population.</p

Topographical maps of average z-scores for oxygenated hemoglobin (oxyHb) levels between patients with multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) (<i>n</i> = 10) and controls (<i>n</i> = 6).

<p>Abbreviations: D1, γ-undecalactone, and concentration level 1; D4, γ-undecalactone, and concentration level 4; E1, skatole, and concentration level 1; E4, skatole, and concentration level 4; and NO, non-odorant. Numbers in parentheses in column 1 indicate the order of the six repetitions (1–6).</p

Experimental protocol.

<p>First, the subjects had a 30-s pre-rest. Then, the subjects were given an olfactory stimulus for 10 s, followed by a 30-s post-rest period and a 30-s period to complete a questionnaire on odor intensity and subjective assessments of hedonic and irritating odors. The 130-s cycles for each odorant were repeated six times consecutively.</p