Anosmia library

Types of olfactory dysfunction 

Prevalence of olfactory dysfunction is difficult to measure, because olfactory testing is not part of general health exams. Therefore, clinicians often rely on their patients to self-report olfactory dysfunction in order to better estimate prevalence. 

Prevalence of olfactory dysfunction

Some of the challenges people with olfactory dysfunction face: 
- cooking
- decreased appetite
- maintaining personal hygiene
- feeling less safe
- lack of enjoyment with food

Quality of life with anosmia

Healthcare for patients with olfactory dysfunction (ENT clinic) 

This is a condition in which a person lacks the ability to smell. It is also sometimes referred to as odor blindness. 

Ohio State University, Columbus

Chemicals in the air trigger odor sensation

- receptors in the nose
- transmission to brain regions
- anosmia

Smell

Breedlove, S. & Watson, N. (2017). Behavioral neuroscience, eighth edition. Oxford University Press.

Behavioral Neuroscience 8th Edition

In the nose, there are three types of cells in the olfactory epithelium. 

- Olfactory receptor neurons
- Basal cells 
- Supporting cells 

Receptors in the nose 

Olfactory transmission to the brain involves many parts that are necessary to understanding how smell is perceived. 

- odorants
- olfactory bulb
- glomerulus
- mitral cells
- prepyriform cortex 
- orbitofrontal cortex
- amygdala 

It should be noted that olfaction is the only sensory process that does not pass through the thalamus before synapsing in the cortex. 



Olfactory transmission to brain regions

Anosmia

This is a highly specialized system that detects pheromones and sends the information to the brain. This system is found in most terrestrial mammals. 

Vomeronasal system

Olfactory training is a non-pharmacological and non-surgical treatment for patients with olfactory dysfunction. UPSIT (University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test) is the most common olfactory training in North America. UPSIT is based on microencapsulated odorants released from the surface of strips. Each subject tags 40 odorants on a multiple-choice list.

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