Olfactory dysfunction affects up to fifteen percent of the general population and can cause significant psychosocial distress including decreased appetite, reduced self-hygiene, and mood disturbances.
This study aims to study the efficacy of smell training for patients with olfactory dysfunction following a viral upper respiratory tract infection. Eligible participants will complete a 30-day course of budesonide nasal saline irrigation. Participants who do not show improvement in their olfaction based on composite smell and taste tests will be eligible to receive a baseline resting-state fMRI (rs-fMRI) and complete a 12-week smell training intervention program. Smell training involves participants smelling 4 odors (phenyl ethyl alcohol, eucalyptus, lemon, and eugenol) twice a day for 12 weeks. Following completion of smell training, participants will undergo repeat smell and taste tests as well as rs-fMRI to ascertain the efficacy of smell training.
