Does intranasal application of zinc sulfate produce anosmia in the rat?

Transport of wheat germ agglutinin-horseradish peroxidase (WGA-HRP) from ol factory sensory neurons to the olfactory bulb as well as odor detection and discrimination were examined in rats in which each nasal epithelium had be en irrigated with 0.1-0.5 mi 5% zinc sulfate. After treatment, mts showed f ew or no deficits in discriminating among odors and in detecting high (1%-0 .01%) concentrations of ethyl acetate, but some had deficits in detecting l ower concentrations of the odor. In most cases, HRP reaction product filled more than 30% of olfactory bulb glomeruli 2-4 days after treatment with Zn SO4. The behavioral outcomes are in agreement with recent reports of consid erable savings in olfaction even after severe reduction of afferent project ions to the olfactory bulb. We conclude that, in the rat, intranasal applic ation of ZnSO4, as generally practiced, does not produce anosmia.