Talk:Anosmia

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[edit] relation of smell to taste?

My mother (after a brain injury) can no longer smell or taste.I assumed that they would be on the same nerves, or same parts of the brain, but this article seems to suggest there's unique and distinct parts for smell, and mentions that people with anosmia can taste things. How common is it to have neither sense? Are the senses of smell and taste at all related in the brain/nerves? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 79.69.12.64 (talk) 21:44, 26 November 2007 (UTC)

People with congenital anosmia DO NOT find life less appealing than those with a sense of smell. (anon)

  • I removed this: " (makes) life less appealing. This often leads to depression." It sounds like that is an assumption. I've never had a sense of smell so I don't know what I am missing. "often leads to depression" sounds like guessing. But if you know of studies to prove any of that please add them. CDA 22:38, 30 August 2005 (UTC)
I never had a sense of smell either and I certainly don't feel depressed or saddened by this lack. It's surely an inconvenience at times - but at other times it's very useful. However, much like becoming blind I assume becoming anosmic may induce depression shortly after the event - but this is a general observation of loosing any previous ability in general. Gardar Rurak 08:57, 22 April 2006 (UTC)
It is a very dubious claim to suggest that life is "less appealing" to those with congenital anosmia. However a greater predisposition to depression is recorded, and it is most likely due to the aggregate neurological effects of missing sensory stimuli.

Hey there. Found this BBC article detailing rates of depression among those afflicted with anosmia, it also mentions the libido thing. No idea how to go about sourcing it, but I figured you guys might appreciate the ability to get rid of a few "needs source" brackets. Waylon.88.7.185.147 17:33, 27 December 2006 (UTC)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/6199605.stm

I too am a congenital anosmic. That BBC article the above user sited is useless, I've read it several times and like most things it is an elegy, a tirade on how terrible it is to be without a sense of smell, which even worse does not cite sources. I have been tested and have full 'taste' capabilities and from my experience as well as the evidence I think the reason why I still absolutely love diverse foods is an increased sensitivity due to sensory compensation. But also, taste by definition is independent of smell. One's the tongue, one's the olfactory glands, those two combined with texture and you get "Flavor," the big one which everyone confuses with 'taste.'

I've never been able to smell anything and I'm never depressed about it. However, I don't really cook because I can't tell if it's done/burning. Useight 02:10, 1 July 2007 (UTC)

Traumatic loss of smell (e.g., brain injury from blow to the head) may be associated with depression, but the loss of smell is possibly just a sign of the brain injury; depression is associated with brain injuries, and/or loss of abilities. I will look for some references to add. This is quite complicated I think, because the symptom label 'anosmia' does not tell about the cause and whether acquired or born with. Fremte 22:04, 10 August 2007 (UTC)
the article does state that certain events leading to depression, such as no longer being able to smell grass, are not applicable to cases of congenital anosmia. Re the case of libido, this is not to say that sexual ability (i.e. testosterone) disappears, but rather logically we must assume that sexual interest decreases. This would be due to smell cues leading to desire (pheromones) no longer being present, and in the act itself there would no longer be smell cues signalling the partner's arousal.

Tsop 03:21, 19 September 2007 (UTC)

[edit] French quotes

oh goodness. i removed the stuff at the bottom about "smell is important in human culture, witness these french phrases..." because it just is not accurate! first of all the verb is improperly conjugated (or spelled), it ought to be "sens", not sent. secondly and more important, "sentir" means "to smell" AND "to feel"! maybe you could make the argument that this means humans (or the french) equate aromas to feelings, but the connection would still be only about as definite as saying that english speakers (let alone humans in general) equate a rip (tear) with a bit of eye-duct fluid (tear). (roula- 21:04, 20 January 2006)

[edit] Hyperosmia

Is there a condition of hyperosmia?

  • Yes. Hyperosmia is basically a better-than-normal sense of smell.

[edit] Senses vs Abilities

  • I changed "The common view of anosmia as trivial can make it more difficult for a patient to receive the same types of medical aid as someone who is blind, deaf or mute." to "someone who has lost other senses, such as hearing or sight." Becoming mute is not the same as losing a sense, it is losing an ability.

I have hyposmia. It's not so bad, except when I can't tell when my toast is burning. I fixed this, as obviously this article isn't about enjoying feet: "Congenial Anosmics often have a much more developed sense of taste than those who could smell at some point in their lives, and can enjoy foot just as much as someone who could smell."

I think it was okay; 'smell of foot' is a general smell that has the same characteristics (bar intensity) as several feet. It is an oddity, but this because we have a different grammar for refering to smells ('foot' is something like a metonym for 'the smell of feet) -it just needed to have specified that it was a word refering to smell. Tsop 03:34, 19 September 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Treatment

Why isn't there a section about treating anosmia? - Katami 01:57, 1 February 2007 (UTC)

Can you even treat anosmia? What's a Question? 00:55, 9 March 2007 (UTC)
As far as I know, there is no treatment, but I have heard of something called Butterbur (or something like that) that can help. Useight 02:11, 1 July 2007 (UTC)
Some types of anosmia cannot be treated. For example, anosmia can result from loss of the olfactory bulbs at the base of the brain, as sometimes happens in closed head injuries. A treatment would require regrowing the lost part of the brain.69.17.48.38 14:59, 18 October 2007 (UTC)
Dr. Robert Henkin of the "Taste & Smell Clinic of Washington DC" has successfully treated a large portion of his patients using an asthma treatment drug with enzymes that stop inhibition of growth of the smell receptors on the olfactory. It is true that anosmia due to physical damage is likely to be untreatable, but due to damage from, say, a harsh flu or cold virus, or something seemingly random, it can sometimes be easily and fully treatable. Dr. Henkin has also cured patients with congenital anosmia. I will find sources to verify. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Chicopac (talk • contribs) 00:08, 19 January 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Libido and impotence

The statement "Loss of olfaction may lead to the loss of libido, even to the point of impotency, which often preoccupies younger anosmic men." is not supported at all by the footnote link. It only says "As it goes with sex lives - if smell deteriorates completely or changes, so can a partner's attraction and the relationship." There is no mention of male, female or impotency. Mensch 05:19, 15 April 2007 (UTC)

This certainly doesn't apply to congenital anosmia. Citations from my highschool girlfriends on request. Thegaloot (talk) 11:48, 23 December 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Dangerous body odours

"...dangerous because it hinders the detection of gas leaks, fire, body odor...". The first two, sure. Body odor? Are we talking about being able to smell gangrene here? Hardly a body odor, and usually it's quite visually detectable that something is amiss long before that. It might be annoying to others, but hardly dangerous - and it's quite easily remedied by simply taking care of personal hygiene in most cases, which at I know at least person with no sensesmell who is perfectly capable of... --Osquar F 08:03, 9 November 2007 (UTC)

Agreed. The ability to smell is hardly prerequisite to good personal hygiene. I guess it could be argued that it could carry a social or psychological issue, but I think you'd get the message that it's time for a shower / toothbrush when people start giving you funny looks. If the original contributor can come up with a decent source stating as such, then by all means add it. Personally I don't think body odour needs to be mentioned at all. Jamie 11:59, 29 December 2007 (UTC) —Preceding unsigned comment added by Jamie0885 (talk • contribs)

I disagree. As a congenital anosmic, I often encounter scenarios where body odor takes a central role; especially in the emotional context, i.e. smelling a loved ones shirt, recalling a forgotten memory sparked by a familiar scent, etc... As for "...when people start giving you funny looks." is a horrible feeling. example- "you're going on a first date, you arrive, suddenly you wonder does my breath smell okay? Deodorant?...the list goes on as the anxiety mounts." So a comment about body odor is important to mention, in my opinion, but not under a dangerous context. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 140.233.136.207 (talk) 19:05, 6 March 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Causes

The section on Causes could be improved. The first paragraph talks about a number of causes and then there's a list followed by a short paragraph beginning "Also, nasal polyps..." when nasal polyps are mentioned in the list. I might try reworking it, but a subject expert might be better as there are some causes that might deserve narrative and others that don't. I know, I'm not bold enough. JordanHenderson (talk) 22:54, 23 November 2007 (UTC)

I reorganized the section on Causes. The list should probably include a bullet for vasal sprays. I went searching the web for a reference, but I'm not finding anything really clear on this. I'm also finding some news stories from 2004 that zinc anti-viral nasal sprays are also associated with anosmia. Didn't find anything but fluffly news stories, though. Someone with access to medical studies could add vasoconstricting nasal sprays and zinc nasal sprays. JordanHenderson (talk) 14:32, 24 November 2007 (UTC)