anosmia /anoz″mē·ə/ [Gk, a + osme, without smell] , a loss or an impairment of the sense of smell. It can occur as a temporary condition when a person has a head cold or respiratory infection or when intranasal swelling or other obstruction prevents odors from reaching the olfactory region. It becomes permanent when the olfactory neuroepithelium or any part of the olfactory nerve is destroyed as a result of intracranial trauma, neoplasms, or disease, such as atrophic rhinitis or the chronic rhinitis associated with the granulomatous diseases. In some instances, the condition may be caused by psychological factors, such as a phobia or fear associated with a particular smell. Also called anosphresia, olfactory anesthesia. Kinds include anosmia gustatoria, preferential anosmia. −anosmic, anosmatic, adj.
