Disorders of smell and taste

We interact with our environment via our senses: hearing, touch, sight, tas te, and smell. Loss or injury to any of our senses can result in significan t consequences. Our sense of smell is important for alerting us to danger, such as fire, gasoline, and spoiled foods, and contributing tn our enjoymen t of life through the perception of pleasant odors, such as perfume, food, and flowers. Because of the regeneration potential of the olfactory neuron, the olfactory system has become an area of concentrated interest and impor tance in spinal cord injury research. Our sense of taste is important in al erting us to dangerous foods (poisonous or spoiled), assisting in the ident ification of various foods, and contributing to the flavor of foods and thu s our enjoyment and quality of life. Presented in this article is pertinent information for the general clinician on disorders of smell and taste. Thi s includes definitions commonly used to describe smell and taste dysfunctio n, pertinent spine anatomy, physiology, causes of dysfunction, and the diag nosis of dysfunction.