scholarly journals Maturation of Olfactory Ability

1999 ◽  
Vol 45 (4, Part 2 of 2) ◽  
pp. 60A-60A
Author(s):  
R A Richman ◽  
K Wallace
Keyword(s):  
2018 ◽  
Vol 39 (4) ◽  
pp. 191-195
Author(s):  
Nicholas J. Kelley ◽  
Adrienne L. Crowell

Abstract. Two studies tested the hypothesis that self-reported sense of smell (i.e., metacognitive insight into one’s olfactory ability) predicts disgust sensitivity and disgust reactivity. Consistent with our predictions two studies demonstrated that disgust correlates with self-reported sense of smell. Studies 1 and 2 demonstrated, from an individual difference perspective, that trait-like differences in disgust relate to self-reported sense of smell. Physical forms of disgust (i.e., sexual and pathogen disgust) drove this association. However, the association between self-reported sense of smell and disgust sensitivity is small, suggesting that it is likely not a good proxy for disgust sensitivity. The results of Study 2 extended this finding by demonstrating that individual differences in self-reported sense of smell influence how individuals react to a disgusting olfactory stimulus. Those who reported having a better sense of smell (or better insight into their olfactory ability) found a disgusting smell significantly more noxious as compared to participants reporting having a poor sense of smell (or poor insight into their olfactory ability). The current findings suggest that a one-item measure of self-reported sense of smell may be an effective tool in disgust research.


i-Perception ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 204166952110099
Author(s):  
Ingrid Ekström ◽  
Davide Liborio Vetrano ◽  
Goran Papenberg ◽  
Erika J. Laukka

Importance Olfactory deficits are common in aging and associated with several conditions linked to inflammation. A few studies suggest that increased concentration of pro-inflammatory biomarkers may be related to olfactory deficits, but these associations are understudied in population-based samples. Objective To investigate the association between serum concentrations of C-reactive protein (CRP) and olfactory identification level as well as rate of change in aging. Methods We included 1,721 participants (mean age 70.5 years; 61.9% female) with at least two olfactory assessments across the 12-year follow-up. Baseline level and change in odor identification were estimated with linear mixed models as a function of CRP levels, derived from blood plasma at baseline. Results Results indicated a negative dose–response association between CRP level and odor identification scores at baseline, after adjustment for demographic, cognitive, health, and lifestyle factors. CRP levels ranging between 11 and 20 mg/L were significantly related to lower olfactory ability (β = −0.811, 95% confidence interval [CI] [−1.503 to −0.118]; p = .022). Likewise, CRP values above 20 mg/L were related to lower olfactory scores, an association that approached statistical significance (β = −0.996, 95% CI [−2.045 to 0.054]; p = .063). We found no associations between CRP and olfactory change ( ps > .368). Sensitivity analyses showed that associations between CRP and olfaction were confined to younger participants (age ≤72 years) and men ( ps < .034). Conclusions Our findings suggest a negative association between serum CRP levels and olfactory identification ability in aging that may be dependent on age and sex.


2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 359-366
Author(s):  
Irfan Maibriadi ◽  
Ratna Ratna ◽  
Agus Arip Munawar

Abstrak,  Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah mendeteksi kandungan dan kadar formalin pada buah tomat dengan menggunakan instrument berbasis teknologi Electronic nose. Penelitian ini menggunakan buah tomat yang telah direndam dengan formalin dengan kadar 0.5%, 1%, 2%, 3%, 4%, dan buah tomat tanpa perendaman dengan formalin (0%). Jumlah sampel yang digunakan pada penelitian ini adalah sebanyak 18 sampel. Pengukuran spektrum beras menggunakan sensor Piezoelectric Tranducer. Klasifikasi data spektrum buah tomat menggunakan metode Principal Component Analysis (PCA) dengan pretreatment nya adalah Gap Reduction. Hasil penelitian ini diperoleh yaitu: Hidung elektronik mulai merespon aroma formalin pada buah tomat pada detik ke-8.14, dan dapat mengklasifikasikan kandungan dan kadar formalin pada buah tomat pada detik ke 25.77. Hidung elektronik yang dikombinasikan dengan metode principal component analysis (PCA) telah berhasil mendeteksikandungan dan kadar formalin pada buah tomat dengan tingkat keberhasilan sebesar 99% (PC-1 sebesar 93% dan PC-2 sebesar 6%). Perbedaan kadar formalin menjadi faktor utama yang menyebabkan Elektronik nose mampu membedakan sampel buah tomat yang diuji, karena semakin tinggi kadar formalin pada buah tomat maka aroma khas dari buah tomat pun semakin menghilang, sehingga Electronic nose yang berbasis kemampuan penciuman dapat membedakannya.Detect Formaldehyde on Tomato (Lycopersicum esculentum Mill) With Electronic Nose TechnologyAbstract, The purpose of this study is to detect the contents and levels of formalin in tomatoes by using instruments based on Electronic nose technology. This study used tomatoes that have been soaked in formalin with a concentration of 0.5%, 1%, 2%, 3%, 4%, 5% and tomatoes without soaking with formalin (0%). The samples in this study were 18 samples. The measurements of the intensity on tomatoes aroma were using Piezoelectric Transducer sensors. The classification of tomato spectrum data was using the Principal Component Analysis (PCA) method with Gap Reduction pretreatment. The results of this study were obtained: the Electronic nose began to respond the smell of formalin on tomatoes at 8.14 seconds, and it could classify the content and formalin levels in tomatoes at 25.77 seconds. Electronic nose combined with the principal component analysis (PCA) method have successfully detected the content and levels of formalin in tomatoes with a success rate at 99% (PC-1 of 93% and PC-2 of 6%). The difference of grade formalin levels is the main factor that causes Electronic nose to be able to distinguish the tomato samples tested, because the higher of formalin content in tomatoes, the distinctive of tomatoes aroma is increasingly disappearing. Thereby, the Electronic nose based on  the olfactory ability can distinguish them. 


2002 ◽  
Vol 55 (9-10) ◽  
pp. 380-383 ◽  
Author(s):  
Slobodan Savovic ◽  
Dejan Nincic ◽  
Slobodanka Lemajic ◽  
Vladimir Pilija ◽  
Aljosa Mandic ◽  
...  

Introduction Olfaction is considered to be the ability to: perceive, conduct and recognize scents and odors. With its numerous connections to the limbic system and reticular formation, the olfactory system affects regulation of numerous vegetative functions, visceral functions and sexual behavior. Since estrogen and progesterone protect the olfactory function, changes in their levels in particular physiological states in women (in pregnancy and postmenopause) exert an influence on the ability to feel and recognize smells. It has its role in creating emotions and adjustment of visceral and vegetative response to particular emotional states. Also, it represents the connection between higher cortical functions and the endocrine system. Material and methods Our investigation was performed at the Ear, Nose and Throat Clinic in Novi Sad. The research included 80 healthy women classified into 4 groups; 20 women aged between 20 and 30; 20 women in the first trimester of pregnancy aged between 20 and 30; 20 premenopausal women aged between 41 and 50; and 20 women at least 3 years in postmenopause, aged between 41 and 50. For our research we used an olfactometer and the Fortunato-Niccolini method. Results and discussion In pregnancy the thresholds of perception (TP) and identification (TI) of examined substances were slightly lower in comparison to nonpregnant women of the same ages, but without any statistical significance (p>0.05). In climacteric-postmenopausal women there was a significant decrease of olfactory ability in comparison to nonmenopausal women of the same ages (p<0.01). Conclusion All changes of the olfactory function in pregnancy are explained by mental changes of pregnant women as well as their hormonal status. Significant decrease of olfactory ability in postmenopause is explained by decline in sexual hormone levels.


2020 ◽  
Vol 45 (7) ◽  
pp. 609-622 ◽  
Author(s):  
Valentina Parma ◽  
Kathrin Ohla ◽  
Maria G Veldhuizen ◽  
Masha Y Niv ◽  
Christine E Kelly ◽  
...  

Abstract Recent anecdotal and scientific reports have provided evidence of a link between COVID-19 and chemosensory impairments, such as anosmia. However, these reports have downplayed or failed to distinguish potential effects on taste, ignored chemesthesis, and generally lacked quantitative measurements. Here, we report the development, implementation, and initial results of a multilingual, international questionnaire to assess self-reported quantity and quality of perception in 3 distinct chemosensory modalities (smell, taste, and chemesthesis) before and during COVID-19. In the first 11 days after questionnaire launch, 4039 participants (2913 women, 1118 men, and 8 others, aged 19–79) reported a COVID-19 diagnosis either via laboratory tests or clinical assessment. Importantly, smell, taste, and chemesthetic function were each significantly reduced compared to their status before the disease. Difference scores (maximum possible change ±100) revealed a mean reduction of smell (−79.7 ± 28.7, mean ± standard deviation), taste (−69.0 ± 32.6), and chemesthetic (−37.3 ± 36.2) function during COVID-19. Qualitative changes in olfactory ability (parosmia and phantosmia) were relatively rare and correlated with smell loss. Importantly, perceived nasal obstruction did not account for smell loss. Furthermore, chemosensory impairments were similar between participants in the laboratory test and clinical assessment groups. These results show that COVID-19-associated chemosensory impairment is not limited to smell but also affects taste and chemesthesis. The multimodal impact of COVID-19 and the lack of perceived nasal obstruction suggest that severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus strain 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection may disrupt sensory-neural mechanisms.


CNS Spectrums ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 212-213
Author(s):  
Sarah E. Cormie ◽  
Alan R. Hirsch

AbstractIntroductionImprovement in hypergeusia in response to alpha lipoic acid treatment has not heretofore been described. Such a case is presented.MethodsCase Study: A 64 year old right handed nasute female noted the sudden onset of salty hypergeusia, about 200% saltier than foods should be. Concurrently she experienced a constant phantogeusia of salt involving the front half of her tongue, lips, and inside her mouth. She denied any smell problems, cacogeusia, or palinageusia. This persisted for five months until treatment with 1800mg/day of alpha lipoic acid, whereupon, over a one month duration, the salty hypergeusia gradually resolved. Suppression of the salty hypergeusia continued until she developed an upper respiratory infection, whereupon, despite the continuation of alpha lipoic acid, the salty hypergeusia returned to 250% of normal. During the cold, her ability to taste dropped down from 100% to 80%, and ability to smell dropped from 100% to 50% and upon resolution of the cold, the senses returned to normal and the salty hypergeusia remitted.ResultsAbnormalities in Neurologic Examination: Reflexes: 3+ bilateral quadriceps femoris and pendular. Chemosensory testing: Olfaction: Alcohol Sniff Test: 12 (hyposmia), Phenylethyl Alcohol Threshold: greater than –2 (anosmia). Suprathreshold Amyl Acetate Odor Intensity Testing: parallel pattern (normosmia). Pocket Smell Test: 4(normosmia). Retronasal Olfactory Testing: Retronasal Smell Index: 8(normosmia). Gustatory testing: Propylthiouracil Disc Taste Test: 5(normogeusia). Taste Super threshold Testing: normogeusia to sodium chloride, sucrose, and phenylthiocarbamol: hypogeusia(10–30%) to urea; ageusia(0%) to hydrochloric acid. Taste Quadrant Testing: taste weakness to sodium chloride for the entire mouth.DiscussionThe alpha lipoic acid may have acted to improve smell and associated enhanced retro nasal smell, inhibiting savory gustatory discharge, and thus, effectively reducing salt perception. Such a mechanism would also explain the recurrence of hypergeusia with the upper respiratory infection; the infection presumably transiently reducing the olfactory ability, overcoming any olfactory enhancing effects of alpha lipoic acid. On the other hand, this agent could have acted to improve smell as well as taste. With such enhanced chemosensory capacity, the normal olfactory and gustatory components of food would have inhibited competing pathologically discharging gustatory receptors for salt, reducing dysgeusia and hypergeusia. Moreover, the alpha lipoic acidmay have acted to focus the patient’s attention on the gustatory stimulation which may have caused her to perceive not just the predominant salt sensation but enhanced perception of the other gustatory sensations which acted to competitively inhibit the perception of salt. Further investigation of alpha lipoic acid in the management of dysgeusia and hypergeusia is warranted.


1998 ◽  
Vol 118 (2) ◽  
pp. 183-186 ◽  
Author(s):  
Seok-Chan Hong ◽  
Donald A. Leopold ◽  
Patrick J. Oliverio ◽  
Mark L. Benson ◽  
David Mellits ◽  
...  

Symptom questionnaires were obtained from 106 patients immediately before nasal and sinus computed tomography scans at the Johns Hopkins Outpatient Center. Their scans were analyzed by two otolaryngologists and three neuroradiologists by using a semiob-jective rating system of the size and opacity of 36 anatomic areas. Patients estimated their own left and right sense of smell as excellent, diminished, or absent. Results of the data are as follows: (1) There is no correlation between smell ability and size of the nasal and sinus structures. This indicates that there is no gross effect of the bulging of sinuses into the nasal airway; (2) As a rule, opacity of only left-sided anatomic structures was correlated with both left and right sense of smell ( p < 0.01). This suggests that our subjects were using their left smell receptors preferentially, to the exclusion of and in place of the right smell receptors; and (3) Total, not partial, opacity of the left olfactory cleft, frontal recess, or ethmoidal infundibulum was correlated with decreased sense of smell. This suggests that these anterior structures in the region of the olfactory cleft do affect airflow, but complete obstruction of these spaces is needed. Possible explanations for the effect of opacified sinuses on the sense of smell include (1) The presence of fluid or thickened mucosa in the sinuses may interfere with perceived olfactory ability by changing nasal airflow patterns or odorant access to receptors; (2) There may be olfactory receptors inside the sinuses; and (3) There may be a relation between the trigeminal receptors in the sinuses and the olfactory system.


2002 ◽  
Vol 111 (11) ◽  
pp. 1054-1058 ◽  
Author(s):  
Toshi Matsuda ◽  
Motoyuki Hashiba ◽  
Kazuko Sugiyama ◽  
Hiroko Kondo ◽  
Shingo Murakami ◽  
...  

In order to study the efficacy of surgical intervention, as well as the influence of cigarette smoking on olfaction in clinical states, we examined olfactory ability by means of the University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test (UPSIT). We enrolled 37 patients 21 to 60 years of age who underwent surgery for chronic sinusitis. Normosmia was defined as an UPSIT score of 30 or more. Among these patients, 31 had a disturbance in their smelling ability in the preoperative stage, and the improvement rate, defined as a rise in score of 4 or more points after surgery, was 64.5%; 11 were well healed. However, all 7 patients who were more than 40 years old at the time of surgery, and currently smoking cigarettes, had a significant deficit in olfaction in the preoperative stage and even in the postoperative stage. This study demonstrated that cigarette smoking has adverse effects on olfactory ability, especially for older patients.


2006 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 308-316 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kai Zhao ◽  
Edmund A. Pribitkin ◽  
Beverly J. Cowart ◽  
David Rosen ◽  
Peter W. Scherer ◽  
...  

Background Mechanical obstruction of odorant flow to the olfactory neuroepithelium may be a primary cause of olfactory loss in nasal-sinus disease patients. Surgical removal of nasal obstruction may facilitate the recovery of olfactory ability. Unfortunately, quantifying the functional impact of nasal obstruction and subsequent surgical outcomes using acoustic rhinometry, rhinomanometry, or CT scans is inadequate. Methods Using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) techniques, we can convert patient CT scans into anatomically accurate 3D numerical nasal models that can be used to predict nasal airflow and odorant delivery rates. These models also can be rapidly modified to reflect anatomic changes, e.g., surgical removal of polyps. Results CFD modeling of one patient's nose pre- and postsurgery showed significant improvement in postsurgical ortho- and retronasal airflow and odorant delivery rate to olfactory neuroepithelium (<1000 times), which correlated well with olfactory recovery. Conclusion This study has introduced a novel technique (CFD) to calculate nasal airflow dynamics and its effects on olfaction, nasal obstruction, and sinus disease. In the future, such techniques may provide a quantitative evaluation of surgical outcome and an important preoperative guide to optimize nasal airflow and odorant delivery.


2015 ◽  
Vol 74 (3) ◽  
pp. 589-613 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claire Huot

What does the dog mean in Chinese culture? The answers can be found in China's first dictionary, theShuowen jiezi, written by Xu Shen in 121 CE. TheShuowenholds cynological knowledge well beyond the dog's olfactory ability, because it includes notes on vocalization discrimination, situational gait, and even behavioral and personality traits. The dog is also upheld as the representative of all nonhuman animals, undoubtedly because of its morphological and functional versatility but certainly also because it was the human's main interface and companion at the beginning of Chinese civilization. The Chinese graphs for the word “dog” embody both views: generically animalistic or eerily resembling human depictions. As a rift slowly took place in the partnership between humans and dogs when urbanization began, the graphs themselves were manipulated to clearly demarcate one from the other. Eventually dogs became discursive scapegoats. This paper traces the destiny of the dog in semantic and graphic terms.


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