Would You Give Up Your Sense of Smell to Keep Your Hair?
A 2022 US study compared smell to other senses (sight and hearing) and personally prized commodities (including money, a pet or hair) to see what people valued more.
Smell is Linked to Memory and Emotion
Smell is directly linked to both your memory and emotions. This connection was first established by American psychologist Donald Laird in 1935 (although French novelist Marcel Proust had already made it famous in his reverie about the scent of madeleines baking.)
Your Sense of Smell Constantly Regenerates
You can lose your ability to smell due to injury or infection – for example, during and after a COVID infection. This is known as olfactory dysfunction. In most cases, it’s temporary, returning to normal within a few weeks.
Smell is Linked to Mental Health
Around 5% of the global population suffers from anosmia – total loss of smell. An estimated 15-20% suffer partial loss, known as hyposmia. Losing your sense of smell is shown to impact your personal and social relationships. For example, it can mean you miss out on shared eating experiences, or cause changes in sexual desire and behavior.
Loss of Smell Can Help Identify Neurodegenerative Diseases
Partial or full loss of smell is often an early indicator for a range of neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. Patients frequently report losing their sense of smell years before any symptoms show in body or brain function.
You Can Train Your Nose Back into Smelling
Smell training is emerging as a promising experimental treatment option for olfactory dysfunction. For people experiencing smell loss after COVID, it’s been shown to improve the ability to detect and differentiate odours.
Conclusion
Smell is a vital sense that is often underappreciated. It is directly linked to our memory and emotions, and can be a key indicator of neurodegenerative diseases. While it is possible to lose our sense of smell, there are ways to regain it through training and rehabilitation.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is smell training?
Smell training is an experimental treatment option for olfactory dysfunction, which involves sniffing robust odours at least twice a day for 10-20 seconds at a time. - Can I train my nose back into smelling?
Yes, smell training has been shown to improve the ability to detect and differentiate odours in people who have experienced smell loss after COVID. - How does smell training work?
The exact mechanism behind smell training is unclear, but it is believed to help reorganize the nerve connections in the brain.
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