When you recover function after olfactory impairment
Many patients have depression and anxiety disorders.
The human sense of smell may need more than just ‘smell’. The book focuses on smell and olfactory disorders, which have been actively studied recently in areas such as brain science, and includes their potential. ‘Not being able to smell’ could tell us more about our brain.
Some people lose their sense of smell. In fact, many people reported loss of smell as a side effect during the COVID-19 pandemic. In some cases, the symptoms return quickly, but in other cases, these symptoms last for a long time. It is often considered a secondary symptom compared to pain such as cough, fever, shortness of breath, or headache, but if you look closely, it may be a sign of a larger illness.
In a study conducted in 2019, the author, a doctor and neurologist and professor of anatomy at the University of Quebec in Canada, found that among those who suffered olfactory impairment for 6 to 12 months and who regained function, many patients suffered from depression or anxiety disorders. The author explores the hypothesis that there may be a connection between the sense of smell and depression, not only for psychological reasons, but damage to the center of the brain. Human emotions and olfactory information are processed together in the limbic system, the oldest part of the brain. If this area is damaged due to a concussion, etc., you may not be able to smell, and depression and anxiety disorders may also develop. The author predicts that if this hypothesis is confirmed, it will be possible to find out the risk of depression at an early stage through an olfactory test.
![I lost my sense of smell after Corona… If the smell does not return, watch out for ‘this symptom’ [Books]](https://pimg.mk.co.kr/news/cms/202409/22/news-p.v1.20240919.bbe4cb0a335a4709881fc6f41fc868cd_P1.png "I lost my sense of smell after Corona… If the smell does not return, watch out for ‘this symptom’ [Books]")
The author is also aware that olfactory impairment can be a symptom of Alzheimer’s disease or Parkinson’s disease. It is said that more than 90% of these neurodegenerative diseases, which progress without clear symptoms, are accompanied by olfactory disorders in the initial stages. The exact cause of both diseases has not been revealed, and protein deformation has been reported to occur in nerve cells. Since the disease cannot be completely prevented or treated, early detection is important, and bad breath can be a symptom.
Of course, there are different reasons for olfactory impairment. There is no need to suspect Alzheimer’s or dementia just because you have a sense of smell. In fact, brain and nerve cell damage is serious, and is usually caused by nasal mucosa infections such as rhinosinusitis. In some cases, such as COVID-19, a viral infection affects the sense of smell. However, the author says, “the loss of smell has the potential to be seen as an ‘early warning symptom,'” and “not only does it contribute to the early detection of diseases, but it also helps to understand how these diseases develop.”
In addition to research on olfactory disorders and diseases, the author covers various properties of smell that have a significant impact on human evolution, memory and behavior. Also, just as a sommelier differentiates wine through aroma and taste, the sense of smell can be trained through training as well. We also include the interesting fact that their entorhinal cortex is thicker than normal ones. It is also stated that humans, who are omnivores, can smell fruit better than dogs, who are carnivores, and have the ability to interpret smells better.
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2024-09-21 20:51:38
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