Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 27, 2025

Author Spotlight: Assessing the Olfactory Effects of Airborne Pollutants — Buried Food and Social Odor Tests
Published on: September 13, 2024
The impact of COVID-19-related smell dysfunction on sexual and mental wellbeing: Data from a longitudinal sample
Marlise K Hofer1, Laura Blume2, Brianna J Turner3
1Smell & Taste Clinic, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany; Department of Psychology, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada.
Objective:
Olfactory disorders are associated with poor sexual and mental wellbeing, but prior work mainly consists of retrospective and cross-sectional reports. The current study assessed their prospective associations.
Methods:
73 patients with COVID-19-associated olfactory dysfunction were recruited between 2021 and 2023 at a Smell Clinic in Dresden, Germany. Patients were assessed twice, about 6 months apart. On each occasion, patients' olfactory functioning (i.e., psychophysical tests and self-rated function) and sexual and mental wellbeing were measured (i.e., sexual frequency, sexual desire, wellbeing, anxiety symptoms, and depressive symptoms).
Results:
Within-person improvements in psychophysical olfactory functioning were associated with increased sexual frequency. In a subset of 51 people in stable romantic partnerships, improved psychophysical olfactory functioning predicted increased sexual frequency and increased sexual desire. No evidence emerged supporting an association between improvements in olfactory functioning and mental health or wellbeing outcomes CONCLUSIONS: A decline in sexual function may be an early reaction to olfactory dysfunction. Individuals with recent onset of olfactory disorders may benefit from sexual health support.
Related Concept Videos
Stress and Mental Health
Individuals with depression often experience challenges in both their personal and professional...
Self-Discrepancy Theory
Relationship Formation
Olfaction
The olfactory receptors are embedded in the cilia of the...
Negative and Cognitive Symptoms of Schizophrenia
Negative Symptoms
Negative symptoms of schizophrenia manifest as deficits in normal emotional and behavioral functioning, profoundly impacting daily life. Individuals with schizophrenia often display a flat affect, characterized by a near-total absence of emotional expression,...

