Loss of Smell & Traumatic Brain Injury

One of the most overlooked injuries following head trauma is the loss of smell.  In fact, the olfactory nerve which controls the sense of smell is rarely if ever tested in the general neurological exam adding to the overlooked nature of this disability.

Interesting research out of Duke University has been published today discussing the complex brain pathways involved in detecting odors. The research appears in the June issue of the journal, Neuron and describes how the brain decodes information on smell.  Rather then one area of the brain involved in detecting different odors, the researchers found a complex series of connections in many areas of the brain that must work together to detect a particular scent.

You can read a more in-depth explanation of how the brain detects smell by clicking here.