People who loose their sense of smell (current estimates place this figure three million or more) may experience a shift in the quality of their life -- some even recognize the compromise in health and safety resulting from anosmia (e.g., inability to smell spoiled food or natural gas). Depression or shifts in weight may be evident. Unfortunately, olfaction is one of the least understood sensory systems and little can be done to restore the sense of smell in most people. Knowledge about how genes and the environment interact to mediate olfaction can contribute to a better understanding of odor perception. Studies of specific anosmias (selective deficits in otherwise normal people) can provide some of this information. Specific anosmia to androstenone has a genetic origin. This phenotype, however, is dynamic: It is influenced by developmental and experimental factors. Most young children can smell androstenone. At about the time of puberty, many individuals become androstenone-anosmic. The ability to smell androstenone, however, can be induced in half of androstenone-anosmics by selective exposures to the compound. Using psychophysical, cytogenetic, histological and classical genetic methods further explorations of the mechanisms underlying specific anosmia to androstenone will be undertaken and the peculiar shift from anosmia that can be induced by experience will be studied in depth. Additional work will determine whether the observed changes in the perception of androstenone are unique to androstenone or generalize to other odors. Animal models would provide ideal tools for understanding olfactory processing at the biochemical and physiological levels. To these ends, a model of androstenone anosmia is being developed and tested to determine its adequacy.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01DC000298-09
Application #
3216467
Study Section
Sensory Disorders and Language Study Section (CMS)
Project Start
1985-09-23
Project End
1995-08-31
Budget Start
1993-09-01
Budget End
1994-08-31
Support Year
9
Fiscal Year
1993
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Monell Chemical Senses Center
Department
Type
DUNS #
City
Philadelphia
State
PA
Country
United States
Zip Code
19104
Olender, Tsviya; Waszak, Sebastian M; Viavant, Maya et al. (2012) Personal receptor repertoires: olfaction as a model. BMC Genomics 13:414
Knaapila, Antti; Hwang, Liang-Dar; Lysenko, Anna et al. (2012) Genetic analysis of chemosensory traits in human twins. Chem Senses 37:869-81
Wise, Paul M; Wysocki, Charles J; Radil, Tomas (2003) Time-intensity ratings of nasal irritation from carbon dioxide. Chem Senses 28:751-60
Wysocki, Charles J; Cowart, Beverly J; Radil, Tomas (2003) Nasal trigeminal chemosensitivity across the adult life span. Percept Psychophys 65:115-22
Wysocki, C J; Dalton, P; Brody, M J et al. (1997) Acetone odor and irritation thresholds obtained from acetone-exposed factory workers and from control (occupationally unexposed) subjects. Am Ind Hyg Assoc J 58:704-12
Dalton, P; Wysocki, C J; Brody, M J et al. (1997) Perceived odor, irritation, and health symptoms following short-term exposure to acetone. Am J Ind Med 31:558-69
Dalton, P; Wysocki, C J; Brody, M J et al. (1997) The influence of cognitive bias on the perceived odor, irritation and health symptoms from chemical exposure. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 69:407-17
Wysocki, C J; Pelchat, M L (1993) The effects of aging on the human sense of smell and its relationship to food choice. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr 33:63-82