Consequences of gaining olfactory function after life-long anosmia

Consequences of gaining olfactory function after life-long anosmia - a case study

Poster presentation

Thomas Hummel ¹, Robert Pellegrino ², Coralie Mignot ¹, Charalampos Giorgiopoulos ^{1, 3}, Antje Hähner ¹

¹ Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Smell & Taste Clinic, University of Dresden Medical School, Dresden, Germany, ² Monell Chemical Sense Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA, ³ Department of Radiology and Department of Medical and Health Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden

The recovery of smell in chronic smell loss patients have been reported in previous case reports; however, we present a rare case in which a patient has gained her smell after life-long anosmia. The case presents a patient who was objectively tested and diagnosed with functional anosmia at age 13 and at age reported they were experiencing a new sensation of smell. Our results clearly show an electrophysiological signal to two unimodal odorants. The patient had a retronasal score in the hyposmic range and self-reported the ability to smell some non-trigeminal odors (e.g., lavender, lilac). However, this appearance of olfactory function after life-long absence appears to have some negative aspects. The patient reported being disturbed by the presence of the new sense, and also by the co-occurrence of phantosmia or lingering odors. We discuss our case in possible routes of neurogenesis as well and non-forming memory association with odors.