anosmia
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GC: n.

S: NIDCD – https://goo.gl/TwwCeW (last access: 27 October 2016); MEDIC – https://goo.gl/TwwCeW (last access: 27 October 2016); Medscape – https://goo.gl/61zVU0 (last access: 17 October 2016).

N: 1. Anosmia is the “loss of sense of smell,” 1881, modern latin, from greek an-, private prefix (an-) + osme “smell” (Doric odme), from + odsme, cognate with latin odor (odor) + abstract noun ending –ia.
2. Anosmia is the partial or complete loss of the sense of smell. This loss may be temporary or permanent. Common conditions that irritate the nose’s lining, such as allergies or a cold, can lead to temporary anosmia. More serious conditions that affect the brain or nerves, such as brain tumors or head trauma, can cause permanent loss of smell. Old age sometimes causes anosmia.
3. The sense of smell can be lost due to a variety of causes. The most common causes include head trauma, viral infections (‘colds’), nasal and/or sinus disease (eg, allergies, various forms of sinusitis including where nasal polyps form, structural abnormalities), and the use of some drugs. Some other medical conditions may be associated with anosmia, (eg, epilepsy, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and schizophrenia). The sense of smell, as with all other senses, naturally regresses with age. Rarely, some tumours/cancers can also result in anosmia. However, sometimes a cause of anosmia may not be found and this is true in 20% of people who are investigated for anosmia.
4. Cultural Interrelation:

  • Reality: An American girl, Hannah, posted in YouTube, a video of her life with the smell disorder anosmia. The video is Life of an Anosmic, by Hannah H, the 3rd December 2012.

S: 1. OED – https://goo.gl/VAhQJH (last access: 27 October 2016). 2. HLN – https://goo.gl/w3ZjmV (last access: 27 October 2016). 3. Patient – https://goo.gl/HsJ7em (last access: 27 October 2016). 4. YouTube – https://goo.gl/CxY6a6 (last access: 27 October 2016).

SYN: olfactory anesthesia, anodmia, anosphrasia.

S: ENCYC – https://goo.gl/Nn6Egr (last access: 17 October 2016)

CR: ageusia, coronavirus, COVID-19, disorder.