AbstractWe investigated an association between olfaction and cardiac 123I‐metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) uptake in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) and multiple system atrophy (MSA). There was a significant positive correlation between cardiac MIBG uptake and the Cross‐Cultural Smell Identification (CCSI) score in patients with PD (r = 0.56; P = 0.003) independent of the disease duration or clinical rating of motor status. However, patients with MSA did not show a significant correlation between cardiac MIBG uptake and the CCSI score. Our findings suggest that the functional losses of the olfactory and cardiac sympathetic systems are closely coupled in PD. © 2006 Movement Disorder Society