Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 6, 2025
06:13
Author Spotlight: Exploring Olfactory Influences on Corticospinal Excitability - Insights and Innovations in Neurological Research
Published on: January 19, 2024
1.2K
Olfactory Response to Altitude Hypoxia: A Pilot Study During a Himalayan Trek
Andrea Mazzatenta1, Danilo Bondi2, Camillo Di Giulio2
1Department of Neuroscience, Imaging, and Clinical Sciences, University "G. d'Annunzio" of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy. andrea.mazzatenta@unich.it.
Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology
|January 17, 2022
Summary
High altitude exposure alters smell perception, reducing odor intensity and memory while enhancing flavor. These olfactory adaptations to hypoxia may offer insights into aging and neurodegenerative diseases.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Physiology
- Sensory Neuroscience
Background:
- Olfactory adaptation to extreme environments is poorly understood.
- High altitude presents unique physiological challenges, including hypoxia.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate factors constraining olfactory function at high altitudes.
- Compare olfactory perception in the same individuals at low and high altitudes.
Main Methods:
- Smell tests administered to subjects at low (665 m) and high (4,780 m) altitudes in the Himalayas.
- Utilized the "Kanchenjunga Exploration and Physiology" project data.
Main Results:
- Significant reductions in odor intensity, color-odor association, and olfactory memory at high altitude.
- Increased flavor perception observed at high altitude.
- Hypoxia-induced physiological adaptations in olfaction were noted.
Conclusions:
- High altitude exposure induces distinct adaptive changes in olfactory function.
- These findings may illuminate olfactory changes associated with aging and neurodegenerative diseases.
Related Concept Videos
01:25Hyperpnea and Hyperventilation
1.4K
Hyperventilation refers to a higher-than-normal rate and depth of breathing, often associated with anxiety attacks. This excessive breathing surpasses the body's need to expel CO2, leading to a condition known as hypocapnia - an unusually low level of carbon dioxide in the blood. Hypocapnia can constrict cerebral blood vessels, reducing blood flow to the brain, which may result in dizziness or fainting. Early signs include tingling and muscle spasms in the hands and face, caused by falling...
1.4K
01:24Factors Affecting Respiration
7.8K
Respiration is a crucial physiological function involving exchanging oxygen (O2) and carbon dioxide (CO2) between an organism and its environment. Various factors can impact this essential process:
7.8K
01:31Chemical Factors Affecting Respiration Centers
1.4K
Chemical factors such as changing CO2, O2, and H+ levels in arterial blood play a critical role in influencing respiration depth and rates. These variations are detected by chemoreceptors—specialized sensors located in two primary body areas. Central chemoreceptors are found throughout the brain stem, including the ventrolateral medulla, while peripheral chemoreceptors are located in the aortic arch and carotid arteries.
CO2 has a potent influence on respiration and is strictly regulated....
CO2 has a potent influence on respiration and is strictly regulated....
1.4K
01:23Physiological Control of Respiration
4.4K
Introduction
Breathing, a seemingly passive process, is regulated by the respiratory center in the brainstem. This center coordinates the involuntary control of respirations, which means it occurs without conscious effort, ensuring a smooth and uninterrupted pattern.
Regulation of Ventilation
The body maintains ventilation by monitoring levels of carbon dioxide (CO2), oxygen (O2), and hydrogen ion concentration (pH) in the arterial blood. Among these factors, the level of CO2 plays a crucial...
Breathing, a seemingly passive process, is regulated by the respiratory center in the brainstem. This center coordinates the involuntary control of respirations, which means it occurs without conscious effort, ensuring a smooth and uninterrupted pattern.
Regulation of Ventilation
The body maintains ventilation by monitoring levels of carbon dioxide (CO2), oxygen (O2), and hydrogen ion concentration (pH) in the arterial blood. Among these factors, the level of CO2 plays a crucial...
4.4K
01:30Alterations in Respiration II
1.1K
There are numerous types of normal and abnormal respiration. Based on ventilatory movements, breathing patterns are classified as regular, deep, or shallow. Examples include Biot's breathing, Cheyne-Stokes respiration, Kussmaul's breathing, hyperventilation, and hypoventilation. Each pattern is clinically significant and aids in evaluating patients.
In Biot's breathing, the respiratory rate and depth are irregular, alternating between periods of deep gasping and apnea. Common causes...
In Biot's breathing, the respiratory rate and depth are irregular, alternating between periods of deep gasping and apnea. Common causes...
1.1K
01:03Olfactory Receptors: Location and Structure
9.8K
The process of olfaction, also known as the sense of smell, is a sophisticated chemical response system. The specialized sensory neurons that facilitate this process, known as olfactory receptor neurons, are situated in an upper segment of the nasal cavity, known as the olfactory epithelium. Olfactory sensory neurons are bipolar, with their dendrites extending from the epithelium's apex into the mucus that lines the nasal cavity. Airborne molecules, when inhaled, traverse the olfactory...
9.8K