Human olfactory sensitivity varies across geographical locations
Abstract
Abstract It has been assumed that olfactory sensitivity is relatively consistent in different populations worldwide. Emerging, yet fragmented evidence lends credit to the hypothesis that olfactory sensitivity may be geographically diverse. To gain deeper insight regarding the interplay between geographical, demographic, and health factors in the context of olfactory sensitivity, we conducted a multicenter study comprising data from 1046 participants inhabiting 19 locations around the world. Our results revealed that location accounted for 17–20% of the variance in chemosensory sensitivity. Demographic and psychological factors related to working memory and depressive symptoms also contribute to explaining sensitivity to odors, accounting for 1.6–2.9% of the variance in chemosensory sensitivity. Thus, we conclude that inhabitants of different geographical regions may present different sensitivities to chemical stimuli. We discuss the factors that could potentially be included in future investigations to pinpoint even more precisely what factors determine differences in chemosensory sensitivity around the globe.
Article Details
Authors (47)
Aleksandra Reichert
Nixon M. Abraham
Jancy N. Abraham
Maria Laura Albanese
Rafieh Alizadeh
Ines Aloulou
Lixin Chen
State Key Laboratory of Silicon and Advanced Semiconductor Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering
Ma. Lourdes Berioso Enecilla
Marco Aurélio Fornazieri
Johannes Frasnelli
Juan Martin Fuselli
Fatima Gansatao
Cagdas Guducu
Anna Kristina Hernandez
Marlise K. Hofer
Salina Husain
Reda Kamel
Elliott Lamond
Francesco Loy
Mehmet K. Mahmut
Daniel Marek
Carla Masala
Élizabeth Michaluk
Imen Miri
Marjan Mirsalehi
Plamena Miteva
Isabel Bernardes Moura
Anasuha Musa
Hanène Naija
Keigo Nakaachi
Jayant M. Pinto
Patricia Portillo Mazal
Ahmed Radwan
Farhad Rafiei
Devesh Rawat
Katarzyna Resler
Henrique O. Scussiatto
Hozifa Alsaid Sheta
Sharanya M. Thodupunoori
Brianna J. Turner
Nora Van Oosterhout
Hangying Wu
Ayaho Yoshino
Laiquan Zou
Barbara Zyzelewicz
Thomas Hummel
Anna Oleszkiewicz