The application of olfactory research to clinical medicine

Abstract

The basic science research for olfactory system is followed by clinical medicine and translational research for olfactory dysfunction. Olfactory dysfunction is classified into five levels of impairment : respiratory, epithelial, mixed, peripheral nervous and central nervous levels. Causal diseases of olfactory dysfunction are various and accordingly various treatments are applied. Therapeutic research for olfactory nerve regeneration is achieved for olfactory dysfunction due to impairment of epithelial and peripheral nervous levels. Development of basic science research for olfactory system enables to explain rational mechanism of dysosmia in patients and a decrease in ability of smell identification in aged population. Basic science research using human olfactory cells is expected to be useful for more development of clinical medicine of olfaction.