Assessment of olfactory function

Abstract

Olfactory dysfunction is extremely common (affecting up to 20 % of the population) and impacts negatively the quality of life. Since therapies remain very limited, it is mandatory to perform a complete clinical evaluation of patients suffering from olfactory disorder in order to provide them an optional treatment but also a prognosis of recovery and adapted counseling. Recently, the developments of new reliable psychophysical, electrophysiological, and imaging techniques have allowed the investigation of smell in humans, not only in research but also in clinical practice. In this chapter, we will focus on the different techniques related to evaluation of olfactory function in clinical practice. New methods that may be useful in the future will also be discussed.