Smell and taste in clinical neurology: Five new things

Advancements in the field of smell and taste disorders have allowed easier and more reliable diagnosis with minimal effort and cost. Posttraumatic smell and taste disorders have shown a better prognosis than previously recognized. The recognition that many neurodegenerative disorders, such as amnestic mild cognitive impairment, Alzheimer disease, and premotor and idiopathic Parkinson disease have impaired smell loss is an important advancement in the clinical course of these disorders. Smell and taste abnormalities often lead to unexplained weight loss, decreased appetite, depression, and inability to smell smoke and recognize spoiled foods. Symptoms of dysosmia and dysgeusia have been more clinically defined and treated in the last 10 years, but treatment benefits are anecdotal. The morbidity and impaired quality of life in smell and taste disorders has been increasingly recognized and reported this last decade. Information on changes in food preparation has increased for those with impaired taste who do not enjoy eating.