Prof. Thomas Hummel | Does it matter when the sense of smell is lost?

Smell loss is frequent. In the general population 5-20 % exhibit complete or partial loss of olfactory function which is especially frequent with aging. However, relatively little is known even among non-clinical olfactory researchers about the various causes of olfactory loss, the possibility of spontaneous recovery from smell loss, or specific forms of treatment in relation to the origin of the disorder. The presentation will also focus on the question whether human olfaction is really of importance considering the large number of people without a functioning sense of smell.