The trigeminal nerve, the largest of the cranial nerves, plays a crucial role in various sensory functions, including taste perception. This blog post will delve into the intricacies of trigeminal function and its relationship to taste testing. Understanding trigeminal function The trigeminal nerve is responsible for transmitting sensory information from the face, mouth, and teeth […]
Androstenone is one of the most fascinating—and polarizing—compounds in the world of scent. Found in human sweat, saliva, and urine, as well as in pigs, this steroidal pheromone has been studied for its potential role in attraction, mood, and social signaling. For some, it’s an alluring aroma; for others, it’s downright offensive. But what exactly […]
Imagine being unable to smell roses but perfectly able to enjoy the aroma of freshly brewed coffee. This selective loss of smell is called specific anosmia, a fascinating and often overlooked condition. Unlike general anosmia, where the sense of smell is entirely absent, specific anosmia refers to the inability to detect specific odors while the […]
On November 22nd and 23rd, we will be present in Turin (Italy) during the course: Smell and Taste 360°: FROM PHYSIOPATHOLOGY TO THEIR ROLE IN DAILY LIFE. We will bring our ODOFIN smell tests and ODOFIN taste tests and hope to meet you there! General information Olfactory-gustatory disorders have always played a secondary role among […]
When you catch a whiff of freshly baked cookies, your mind might instantly flood with memories of childhood, warmth, and comfort. Conversely, the smell of spoiled food might trigger an immediate feeling of disgust. This emotional response to smells, whether positive or negative, is known as odor hedonic perception. But what exactly is this phenomenon, […]
As an ENT (Ear, Nose, and Throat) doctor or nurse, testing a patient’s ability to taste is a crucial part of the diagnostic process. But why is it so important and how can you perform a taste test? Read more on this page about taste testing. Key reasons for taste testing Taste test with taste […]
Fire in your mouth? Contrary to popular belief, the burning sensation you experience from a spicy chili pepper isn’t actually tasting “heat”. It’s a clever illusion perpetrated by a molecule called capsaicin. It belongs to a class of molecules called capsaicinoids which are the compounds found in members of the capsicum family (also known as […]
Have you or someone close to you recently suffered from a reduced sense of smell? Then it may well be that you have an olfactory disorder and that you suffer from, for example, parosmia or phantosmia. Both are disturbances of the sense of smell and in this blog we will briefly explain what they are, […]
Taste, how does it actually work? Taste is the way our brain perceives the stimuli from taste buds. Of course we all know the five flavors; sweet, bitter, salty, sour and umami. But how do you describe the taste of mint, for example? Of course, the five basic tastes do not give the full picture […]
Loss of smell in children can lead to major consequences in eating patterns. As a parent, you therefore seek support and understanding with these problems. Especially when your child indicates that the food tastes terrible. For example, children may say that food tastes like sewage and that water tastes like rotten eggs. It is often […]