Smell, Loss of
What Is Loss of Smell?
[dropcap]L[/dropcap]oss of smell is a disorder that is characterized by impaired olfactory sense, or olfaction.
Partial or complete loss of smell can result from malnutrition, chronic rhinitis, polyps, chronic sinusitis, medications, old age, head trauma, Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease.
Q: How do we smell things?
A: The sense of smell is complex. It involves specialized olfactory cells that are chemoreceptors, that is, they detect odor molecules in the air we breathe in through our nose and transmit the information to the olfactory area of our brain, called the olfactory cortex, by way of the olfactory tract. Olfactory cells are located in the top of the nasal cavity.
The ability to smell strongly contributes to the ability to taste, so that individuals with loss of smell have great difficulty in perceiving the taste of food. The result is loss of the appetite for and pleasure from food.
