How to restore the sense of smell after losing it?

Scientists have been able to develop a new method of placing the electrodes inside the nostrils, thereby restoring the sensation without odor.

The ability to restore the sense of smell would be a scientific breakthrough for millions of people, according to the figures, which estimates that 5% of people can not treat odors.

Scientists at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Hospital, a Harvard University Hospital, tested the new method on five patients who already had a foul odor. This is the first time that they are stimulated.

Scientists believe that their discoveries open the way for the implantation of a cochlea of ​​the nose.

Scientists have focused on the olfactory bulb, where aromatherapy is treated in the brain: by placing the electrodes in the nose, the nerves of the olfactory bulb are stimulated, then the information is sent to the deep brain areas responsible for the odour.

Some cases of odor loss can be treated by treating the cause, for example by treating the sinuses or preventing them from swelling, when the nasal passage is blocked and the odors do not reach the brain.

In more complex cases, the sensory nose can be damaged by a head injury, a virus or aging that can lead to a total loss of odors. There is currently no treatment confirmed, but the new study shows that options are on the horizon and could succeed in the coming years.

"Our work shows that new technology is an idea that deserves to be deepened," said Dr. Eric Holbrooke, head of the hospital's nose department.

"We can not do anything for these patients at the moment and hopefully at the end we can restore the sense of smell to those who have lost," Holbrooke said.

"We now know that electrical impulses in the olfactory bulb can give a sense of smell, which is encouraging."

The results of the study were published in the Journal of the International Forum on Allergy and Rhinology, and experiments have shown that the technique of electrical stimulation has been successful in other sensory systems, especially the hearing.

Source: Daily Mail