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Related Concept Videos

Olfaction01:25

Olfaction

45.2K
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...
45.2K
Olfactory Receptors: Location and Structure01:03

Olfactory Receptors: Location and Structure

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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...
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Sep 13, 2025

Author Spotlight: Assessing the Olfactory Effects of Airborne Pollutants — Buried Food and Social Odor Tests
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Author Spotlight: Assessing the Olfactory Effects of Airborne Pollutants — Buried Food and Social Odor Tests

Published on: September 13, 2024

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Omicron Impacts Olfaction in Hamsters.

Virginie Guérin1, Mantasha Khan2,3, Clara Bourgon2

  • 1UMR 1161 Virologie, INRAE-ENVA-ANSES, École Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, Paris, France.

FASEB Journal : Official Publication of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology
|July 25, 2025
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Omicron BA.1 infection causes hyposmia (reduced sense of smell) in hamsters, affecting the nasal cavity. Despite less severe initial olfactory epithelium impact than earlier variants, Omicron leads to similar smell loss and persistent inflammation.

Keywords:
olfactionolfactory behaviorrespiratory viruses

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Area of Science:

  • Virology
  • Immunology
  • Otorhinolaryngology

Background:

  • Olfactory disorders, including anosmia, were common with early SARS-CoV-2 variants.
  • The emergence of Omicron (BA.1) variant led to a decreased prevalence of anosmia, reducing research interest in its nasal pathophysiology.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the pathophysiology of Omicron BA.1 infection in the nasal cavity and its impact on olfactory function using a hamster model.
  • To compare the effects of Omicron BA.1 with an early SARS-CoV-2 variant (D614G) on the olfactory and respiratory epithelia.

Main Methods:

  • Hamster model infected with SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.1 and D614G variants.
  • Assessment of olfactory function (hyposmia).
  • Histopathological analysis of nasal cavity tissues, including olfactory and respiratory epithelia, at 2, 4, and 8 days postinfection (dpi).
  • Evaluation of inflammation markers, epithelial damage, and viral presence.

Main Results:

  • Omicron BA.1 infection caused hyposmia starting at 2 dpi, with the respiratory epithelium heavily infected and showing inflammation and damage.
  • While the olfactory epithelium was initially spared, Omicron BA.1 infected it by 4 dpi, leading to immune cell invasion and desquamation, similar to D614G.
  • Persistent inflammation in olfactory turbinates was observed at 8 dpi even after viral clearance, with olfactory dysfunction comparable to D614G infection at later time points.

Conclusions:

  • Omicron BA.1 infects the nasal epithelium, including the olfactory epithelium, albeit with a delay and to a lesser extent than earlier SARS-CoV-2 variants.
  • The observed decrease in olfactory sensitivity in humans with Omicron infection may be linked to epithelial damage and cellular debris in the olfactory cleft.
  • The study highlights the potential for olfactory dysfunction even with variants showing reduced anosmia prevalence.