Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 28, 2025
06:40
Simple and Computer-assisted Olfactory Testing for Mice
Published on: June 15, 2015
10.1K
Pronounced Olfactory Habituation with Age.
Constantin A Hintschich1,2, Cindy Ma1, Antje Hähner1
1Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Smell and Taste Clinic, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
The Laryngoscope
|April 10, 2024
Summary
Older adults show more pronounced olfactory habituation due to age-related decline in smell function. Even with normal olfactory test scores, prolonged odor exposure reveals reduced olfactory system functionality in the elderly.
Area of Science:
- Olfactory Neuroscience
- Gerontology
Background:
- Olfactory habituation is a crucial mechanism for detecting novel scents.
- Subclinical olfactory impairment can affect sensory processing.
- Age is a significant factor influencing olfactory function.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effect of age on olfactory habituation.
- To explore subclinical olfactory impairment in older adults using odor habituation as a model.
Main Methods:
- Assessed olfactory thresholds, intensity, and pleasantness for phenylethyl alcohol (PEA) using the "Sniffin' Sticks" test.
- Applied continuous PEA odor to one nostril for 10 minutes and 2 hours.
- Reassessed olfactory parameters immediately after odor clip removal in younger and older adults.
Main Results:
- Olfactory thresholds significantly elevated after 10 min and more pronounced after 2 h of odor exposure, bilaterally.
- Habituation was more distinct on the odor-exposed side.
- Older adults exhibited more pronounced habituation after 2 h compared to younger adults.
Conclusions:
- Older individuals experience greater olfactory habituation after prolonged odor exposure.
- This heightened habituation is likely due to age-related compromises in olfactory function.
- Standard olfactory tests may not reveal age-related olfactory system deficits apparent under stress.
Related Concept Videos
01:03Olfactory Receptors: Location and Structure
9.2K
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...
9.2K
01:25Olfaction
44.3K
The sense of smell is achieved through the activities of the olfactory system. It starts when an airborne odorant enters the nasal cavity and reaches olfactory epithelium (OE). The OE is protected by a thin layer of mucus, which also serves the purpose of dissolving more complex compounds into simpler chemical odorants. The size of the OE and the density of sensory neurons varies among species; in humans, the OE is only about 9-10 cm2.
The olfactory receptors are embedded in the cilia of the...
The olfactory receptors are embedded in the cilia of the...
44.3K
01:20Physiology of Smell and Olfactory Pathway
8.4K
Humans detect odors with the help of specialized cells located in the upper part of the nasal cavity, called olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs). ORNs possess hair-like structures called cilia, which are receptive to sensations from the inhaled air. When an odorant molecule binds to a specific receptor on the cell of the cilia, it leads to a series of events that ultimately cause the ORN to send electrical signals to the olfactory bulb in the brain through the olfactory nerves.
The olfactory...
The olfactory...
8.4K
01:20Taste Buds and Receptors
1.9K
Gustation, or the sense of taste, is intrinsically linked to the anatomical structures located on the tongue. This organ's surface, along with the entirety of the oral cavity, is adorned with stratified squamous epithelium. Evident on the tongue are elevated structures known as papillae (singular = papilla), which house the mechanisms for the transduction of gustatory stimuli. Four distinct types of papillae exist, each identified by their unique morphological attributes: the circumvallate,...
1.9K