A study conducted as part of the Recover program of National Institutes of US Health showed that 80% of people who complained about the worsening of the sense of smell after the Covid-19, two years later, really had violations confirmed by objective tests of odors. Almost a quarter of them completely lost their ability to smell.
But more researchers were surprised that two -thirds of the participants who did not notice problems with the sense of smell also showed abnormally low results.
“Our conclusions confirm that the ill-fledged Covid-19 are especially susceptible to weakening of the sense of smell and often do not even realize this,” said the co-author of the study, professor Leora Horvitz from the New York University.
The study was attended by 3535 people. The participants took place of the UPSIT (University of Pennnsylvania Smell Identification Test) – the “gold standard” of the diagnosis, in which it was necessary to recognize 40 different odors on the principle of “choose four options”.
The authors emphasize that many past studies were based only on the subjective sensations of patients, and the new test allowed to objectively assess the scale of the problem.
The publication notes that the loss of smell (hyposmia) is associated not only with a deterioration in the quality of life, but also with depression, weight loss and risk of accidents – a person may not feel the smells of smoke, gas or spoiled food. In addition, smell disorders are considered an early sign of diseases of Parkinson and Alzheimer, since the virus can affect the areas of the brain responsible for the treatment of odors.
Scientists believe that the check of smell should become part of the standard inspection after the Covid-19, since even its slight reduction can significantly affect the mental and physical condition.
Now researchers are looking for ways to return the sense of smell – for example, using vitamin A or training to recognize odors that help to “recover” the nerve bonds of the brain.
