Olfactory fatigue
Olfactory Fatigue
Olfactory fatigue, also known as olfactory adaptation, is a temporary, normal inability to distinguish a particular odor after a prolonged exposure to that airborne compound.
Pronunciation
Olfactory: /ɒlˈfæktəri/ Fatigue: /fəˈtiːɡ/
Etymology
The term "olfactory" comes from the Latin olfactus, past participle of olfacere "to smell" (from olere "to smell" + facere "to make"). "Fatigue" is derived from the French word fatigue, which means tiredness.
Definition
Olfactory fatigue is a form of sensory adaptation and is a normal response to prolonged exposure to an odor. It occurs when the olfactory receptors in the nose become desensitized to the smell, causing a decreased ability to identify the odor over time.
Related Terms
- Olfaction: The sense of smell.
- Olfactory receptor: A type of protein found in the olfactory neurons of the nose that are responsible for detecting odors.
- Sensory adaptation: The process by which our brain and sensory receptors become accustomed to constant stimuli.
- Anosmia: The loss of the sense of smell, either total or partial. It may be caused by head injury, infection, or blockage of the nose.
- Hyperosmia: An increased olfactory acuity (heightened sense of smell), usually caused by a lower threshold for odor.
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Olfactory fatigue
- Wikipedia's article - Olfactory fatigue
This WikiMD dictionary article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.
Languages: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
Urdu,
বাংলা,
తెలుగు,
தமிழ்,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
русский,
português do Brasil,
Italian,
polski