Loss of Smell Can Trigger Severe Depression

Losing your sense of smell can change your life much more than you imagine. A new study shows that living without smells or tastes can affect mental health as intensely as chronic diseases like diabetes and stroke, increasing the risk of depression and significantly reducing quality of life.

Many people believe that losing their sense of smell is just an inconvenience. After all, it seems like a small thing when compared to serious illnesses. However, scientists have been showing that this view is far from reality.

The sense of smell is deeply linked to our emotions, memories, the pleasure of eating, the perception of dangers such as smoke or gas, and even how we relate to other people. When this sense disappears, especially for months or years, the impact can be devastating to mental health and quality of life.

The researchers decided to investigate precisely the weight of this problem. Instead of conducting a new experiment with patients, they gathered and analyzed the results of several scientific studies published between 2010 and 2024.

The goal was to answer a simple but important question: how much does living without smell or taste affect people's lives when compared to already known chronic diseases such as diabetes, stroke, heart disease, or respiratory diseases?

To make this comparison, the team searched scientific reviews that used questionnaires widely employed in medicine. One of them measures different aspects of quality of life, assessing mobility, autonomy, daily activities, pain, and emotional well-being. Another investigates symptoms of depression, such as persistent sadness, loss of interest in activities, discouragement, guilt, and difficulties sleeping or concentrating.

By gathering this information from thousands of participants, the scientists were able to compare people with loss of smell and taste with patients suffering from other well-known chronic diseases.

The results were surprising. People living with olfactory and taste disorders presented quality of life levels as reduced as those observed in chronic diseases considered much more serious.

Furthermore, the symptoms of depression found in this group were similar to those recorded in patients with conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and sequelae of stroke. This shows that losing the ability to smell and taste is not just a sensory alteration: it is a problem that can profoundly affect psychological well-being.

Researchers explain that this makes sense from the perspective of brain function. The sense of smell has a direct link to areas responsible for emotions and memory, such as the amygdala and hippocampus. This is why a perfume can evoke childhood memories or why the smell of food can bring emotional comfort.

When these connections cease to be stimulated, many people report a loss of pleasure in eating, social isolation, insecurity, decreased self-esteem, and a constant feeling of disconnection from their environment. Over time, these factors can contribute to the development of anxiety and depression.

Another important point revealed by the study is that, despite the enormous impact of these disorders, they still receive little attention. While diseases like diabetes or hypertension have well-established treatment protocols, therapeutic options for those who lose their sense of smell or taste remain limited.

The authors argue that doctors and healthcare professionals need to recognize these patients more quickly and that new studies are essential to develop effective treatments, reducing suffering that often remains invisible.

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Comparing Quality of Life in Smell and Taste Disorders With Other Chronic Conditions - A Narrative Review

Natalia Glibbery, David Turner, Duncan Boak, and Carl Philpott

Clinical Otolaryngology. (2026): 1–7

DOI:10.1111/coa.70119

Abstract: 

Smell and taste disorders (SATDs) are increasingly prevalent but remain underrecognised, significantly affecting patients' physical, social and psychological well-being. We recently published a large cohort study reporting Olfactory Disorder Questionnaire (ODQ), EQ-5D-5L (EuroQol Five-Dimension Five-Level) and EQ-5D-5L Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) scores for patients with SATDs. These results highlight the considerable impact of SATDs on quality of life and mental health. This review seeks to evaluate the disease burden of SATDs by comparing their impact on quality of life and mental health with other chronic conditions, using established metrics such as EQ-5D-5L and BDI from the existing literature. A literature review was conducted from 1 January 2010 to 10 August 2024, to identify systematic reviews reporting EQ-5D-5L or BDI values in chronic conditions. Our findings show that EQ-5D-5L and BDI scores for patients with SATDs are comparable to those reported for other chronic conditions, including diabetes, stroke, cardiovascular, respiratory and ENT disorders. These results highlight the significant burden olfactory dysfunction imposes on individuals. However, unlike other chronic conditions with established treatment protocols, effective therapies for SATDs remain limited, emphasising a critical gap in both research and care. Increased awareness and further research are essential to develop effective treatments and improve outcomes for this often-overlooked population.