Olfaction and anosmia: From ancient times to COVID-19 #MMPMID33848701
Mathis S; Le Masson G; Soulages A; Duval F; Carla L; Vallat JM; Sole G
J Neurol Sci 2021[Jun]; 425 (?): 117433 PMID33848701show ga
Olfaction, one of our five main qualitative sensory abilities, is the action of smelling or the capacity to smell. Olfactory impairment can be a sign of a medical problem, from a benign nasal/sinus problem up to a potentially serious brain injury. However, although clinicians (neurologists or not) usually test the olfactory nerves in specific clinical situations (for example, when a neurodegenerative disorder is suspected), they may omit such tests in many other situations. With the recent COVID-19 pandemic, the resurgence of anosmia has reminded us of the importance of testing this sensorineural function. We retrace here the main historical steps and discoveries concerning olfaction and anosmia.