[Disorders of taste and smell]

Disorders of taste and smell not only are uncomfortable to the person involved, e.g. because of an impaired hedonic and sensory experience of food or the continuous presence of a nasty taste, but can also result in loss of body weight and may have a negative influence on the quality of life. In this article both the physiology of chemosensory function and dysfunction of taste and smell are discussed as well as some clinical consequences and their treatment.