Sense of smell poses an incredibly significant aspect of our life, it has been present from the beginning of our existence and its role in maintaining the well-being of our organism is non-sustainable. Olfactory system dysfunctions have a negative influence on general health status, psychological condition and quality of life. Smell detection disturbances can not only lead to loss of pleasant feelings or basic defence mechanism deficiency, but also may be symptoms of serious ongoing or commencing diseases.
The authors aimed to present in this article the most important information on physiology of olfaction system, most recent methods of examination and possible causes of smell dysfunction.
A systematic review of the literature concerning smell examination was conducted including both previous review articles and original papers.
Smell assessment remains an enigmatic branch of medicine, qualified personnel and special equipment which would enable to fully and reliably evaluate the condition of olfactory function is still not widely available. It seems that serious consideration of patients' complaints on odour perception, directed and complete investigation of reported dysfunctions, and adequately adjusted multidisciplinar treatment would be effective according to both, quality and length of patients' life.

olfactory system; smell function; odorant perception; odour detection; olfaction

Gudej S, Błaszczyk K, Gromadzka-Ostrowska J. Age-related changes in smell and taste perception. Geriatria. 2014;8:109-116.

Nadulska A, Borowicz B. Psychofizyka węchu – zapach jako niewidzialny kod komunikacji społecznej, Psychospołeczne aspekty postrzegania zdrowia i urody. WSSP im. Wincentego Pola w Lublinie; 2016. p. 143-156.

Sienkiewicz-Jarosz H. Zmysł węchu – fizjologia i patologia. Neurologia Po Dyplomie. 2012;7(4):6-10.

Benarroch EE. Olfactory system. Neurology. 2010;75:1104-1109.

Pruszewicz A. W sprawie badania powonienia i smaku. Otolaryngol Pol.1965;19:29.

Dżaman K. Taste and smell senses examination in patients with nasal polyps. Otolaryngol Pol. 2007;LXI (5):831-837.

Pruszewicz A, Obrębowski A, Walczak M. W sprawie badania powonienia. Otolaryngol Pol. 1999; 53(30) Suppl:806-810.

Doty RL, Shaman P, Kimmelman CP, et al. University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test: rapid quantative olfactory function test for the clinic. Laryngoscope. 1984;94:176-178.

Dżaman K. Modern methods of olfactory and gustatory examination. Otorynolaryngologia. 2008;7(4):173-177.

Doty RL, Marcus A, Lee WW. Development of the 12-item Cross-Cultural Smell Identification Test (CC-SIT). Laryngoscope. 1996;106:353-356.

Cain WS, Gent JF, Goodspeed RB, et al. Evaluation of olfactory dysfunction in the Connecticut Chemosensory Clinical Research Center. Laryngoscope. 1988;98:83-88.

Hummel T, Sekinger B, Wolf SR, et al. 'Sniffin' sticks': olfactory performance assessed by the combined testing of odor identification, odor discrimination and olfactory theshold. Chem Senses. 1997;22(1):39-52.

Hummel T, Rosenheim K, Konnerth CG, et al. Screening of olfactory function with a four-minute odor identification test: reliability, normative data, and investigations in patients with olfactory loss. Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol. 2001;110(10):976-81.

Obrębowski A. postępy w olfaktologii klinicznej. Mag ORL. 2006;5(1):7-11.

Suzuki N, Takahata M, Shoji T, et al. Characterization of electro-olfactogram oscillations and their computational reconstruction. Chem Senses. 2004;29(5):411-424.

Cavazzanna A, Larsson M, Munch M, et al. Postinfectious Olfactory Loss: A Retrospective Study on 791 Patients. Laryngoscope. 2018;128:10-15.

Seiden AM and Duncan HJ. The diagnosis of a conductive olfactory loss. Laryngoscope. 2001;111(1):9-14.

Siderowf A, Jennings D, Eberly S, et al. Impaired olfaction and other prodromal features in the Parkinson at-risk syndrome study. Mov Disord. 2012;27(3):406-412.

Weinstock RS, Wright HN, Smith DU. Olfactory dysfunction in diabetes mellitus. Physiol Behav 1993; 53(1):17-21.