Anosmia (syn: anosphrasia) The medical term describing the total absence of the sense of smell, i.e., the inability to detect or recognize any vapor. Anosmia occurs more frequently than a total loss of taste. Anosmia has been reported to occur in about 2% of the people with smell problems, based upon results obtained in a large group of patients with various taste and smell dysfunctions.
Agnosia - A general term for a loss of ability to recognize objects, people, sounds, shapes, or smells; that is, the inability to attach appropriate meaning to objective sense-data. It usually is used when the primary sense organ involved is not impaired.
Cacosmia Distorted smell of food and vapors.
Dysosmia - Distortion or perversion of the sense of smell. It may occur with hyposmia or it may occur alone. Dysosmia is a general term, including cacosmia, phantosmia and heterosmia. Dysosmia occurs in about 5 million people in the US, based upon a recent survey on the sense of smell.
Heterosmia All vapors smell alike.
Hyposmia The most common type of smell loss experienced by humans, it may occur following an influenza like illness, a blow to the head, nasal allergies or from unknown causes. A recent survey of the sense of smell determined that 15 million people in the US have had this type of smell loss. Hyposmia has been classified into two major types:
Type 1 Hyposmia represents an impairment of smell at the olfactory epithelia area. Vapors cannot be recognized but can still be detected.
Type 2 Hyposmia represents a quantitative impairment of smell. Vapors can be detected and recognized but only at higher than normal concentrations.
Kallmann's Syndrome - Disorder that can include several characteristics such as absence of the sense of smell and decreased functional activity of the gonads (organs that produce sex cells), affecting growth and sexual development.
Odorant - Substance that stimulates the sense of smell.
Odor Fatigue The inability to distinguish a particular odor as the receptors in the upper nose become fatigued or desensitized. A different scent introduced into a person’s olfactory system, however, can still be perceived. When testing fragrances, no more than three should be tried at one time.
Olfaction - The act of smelling.
Olfactory Bulb The first region of the brain to receive sensory input from olfactory epithelium. The olfactory bulb presents the initial input and communicates via multiple pathways with numerous other regions of the brain, e.g. limbic system, hypothalamus and cortex.
Olfactometer - Device for estimating the intensity of the sense of smell.
Parosmia - Any disease or perversion of the sense of smell, especially the subjective perception of odors that do not exist.
Phantosmia A smell that occurs in the nose without the presence of an external stimulation vapor.
Smell (verb) - To perceive odor or scent through stimuli affecting the olfactory nerves.
Smell (Olfactory, Nasal) Disorder General term referring to inability, or impaired ability, to perceive odors. It may be temporary, caused by a head cold or swelling or blockage of the nasal passages. It can be permanent when any part of the olfactory region is damaged by factors such as brain injury, tumor, disease, or chronic rhinitis.
Synesthesia Sensation produced at a point other than or remote from the point of stimulation (eg. Perceiving a color from hearing a certain sound or smelling a certain aroma.) Term also used to describe the multisensory effects of aromas on impressions of sight, sound, taste and touch.
Synesthetic Experience An involuntary joining in which the real information of one sense is accompanied by a perception in another sense. (eg. Smelling lemons and seeing the color yellow.)
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