[Clinical application of the smell identification test]

Clinical application of the standardized "scratch and sniff" olfactory test in Japanese is described. Over 300 subjects participated in three experiments. In experiment 1, 29 odorants used in the smell identification test were rated as to their experiences. The ratios of the experiences in each combination of odorants were compared. In experiment 2, the test was applied to normal subjects. Average test scores decreased as a function of age, with the greatest decline occurring between the sixth and tenth decades of life. In experiment 3, the test was shown to differentiate between subjects with olfactory disorders and normal controls. This self-administered test now makes it possible to rapidly and accurately assess general olfactory function in the laboratory, clinic, or through the mail without complex equipment or space consuming stores of chemicals.