[The effect of age on the sense of smell in health individuals].
BACKGROUND
A need for research of the olfactory function exists in everyday clinical work. The aim of this study was to determine standards for perception and identification thresholds regarding olfactory substances in healthy subjects in regard to their age.


METHODS
The research included 120 healthy examinees (60 women and 60 men) classified according to age into three age groups (20-30, 31-40, 41-50 years of age). This examination was done using Fortunato-Niccolini's method.


CONCLUSIONS
The results of this work show that olfactory function becomes significantly weaker after the age of forty. Thresholds of perception in correlation with thresholds of identification for examined olfactory substances are significantly lower in older age groups.


CONCLUSIONS
A gradual loss of olfactory capability with age can be explained by gradual destruction of olfactory cells and fibres of olfactory nerves during life.
Savović
Slobodan
S
Klinicki centar, Klinika za bolesti uva, grla i nosa, 21000 Novi Sad, Hajduk Veljkova 1-7.
Ivetić
Vesna
V
Lemajić
Slobodanka
S
Komazec
Zoran
Z
Kljajić
Vladimir
V
Pilija
Vladimir
V
D000328:Adult; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012684:Sensory Thresholds; D012903:Smell / Q000502:physiology*