From Geof Butterwick
Jessica Wapner discussed the potential benefits for those with an impaired sense of taste of creating new smells and flavours (6 February, p 39). I was surprised at the scant mention of the implications for those of us with olfactory disorders.
Since an accident in my youth, I have experienced hyposmia – a decreased ability to smell. Recently I discovered that I have anosmia: a complete loss of sense of smell. Doctors ruled out obstruction and, thankfully, a brain tumour as causes, concluding that it is due to a damaged olfactory nerve, for which they can offer no treatment. My inability to smell fresh fruit, wine or cheeses is a disadvantage. Compared with our sense of smell, our taste buds play only a small part in the way we perceive flavour.
Anosmia and hyposmia affect 4 million people in the US alone. I hope the research will provide some relief for us too.
Woodbridge, Suffolk, UK
Mick O'Hare writes:
• As New Scientist's resident anosmic I am well aware that olfactory disorders are often considered trivial compared to loss of other senses. But they affect a quarter of adults over 60. I described my experience as “The unbearable absence of smelling” (24 September 2005, p 42).
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