ReviewCurrent research in pharmacology and drug discovery2021
Pathophysiology and possible treatments for olfactory-gustatory disorders in patients affected by COVID-19.
Review in Current research in pharmacology and drug discovery, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 22 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
22 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 55 citations in OpenAlex.
- A Systematic Review of the Role of Purinergic Signalling Pathway in the Treatment of COVID-19.International journal of molecular sciences · 2023Pooled it
- Olfactory Dysfunction After SARS-CoV-2 Infection in the RECOVER Adult Cohort.JAMA network open · 2025Article
- Outcomes of a Structured Olfactory and Gustatory Rehabilitation Program in Children with Post-COVID-19 Smell and Taste Disturbances.Journal of clinical medicine · 2025Article
- Obliteration of oral and maxillofacial region by SARS-CoV-2 infection.GMS hygiene and infection control · 2025Article
- Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids as Potential Treatments for COVID-19-Induced Anosmia.Biomedicines · 2024Review
- A Comprehensive Review of COVID-19-Related Olfactory Deficiency: Unraveling Associations with Neurocognitive Disorders and Magnetic Resonance Imaging Findings.Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2024Review
- Factors associated with older adults' cognitive decline 6 months after gamma-variant SARS-CoV-2 infection.Frontiers in neurology · 2024Article
- Post-COVID-19 Anosmia and Therapies: Stay Tuned for New Drugs to Sniff Out.Diseases (Basel, Switzerland) · 2023Review
- Treatments of COVID-19-Associated Taste and Saliva Secretory Disorders.Dentistry journal · 2023Review
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- Article
- The Impact of COVID-19 Infection on Miscellaneous Inflammatory Disorders of the Gastrointestinal Tract.Gastroenterology clinics of North America · 2023Review
- Chemosensory Ability and Sensitivity in Health and Disease: Epigenetic Regulation and COVID-19.International journal of molecular sciences · 2023Review
- Long-term Consequences of COVID-19: Chemosensory Disorders.Current allergy and asthma reports · 2023Review
- Cranial nerve involvement among COVID-19 survivors.Frontiers in neurology · 2023Article
- Pediatric Otolaryngology in COVID-19.Otolaryngologic clinics of North America · 2022Review
- The effect of intra-nasal tetra sodium pyrophosphate on decreasing elevated nasal calcium and improving olfactory function post COVID-19: a randomized controlled trial.Allergy, asthma, and clinical immunology : official journal of the Canadian Society of Allergy and Clinical Immunology · 2022Article
- The Effect of Topical Aminophylline on Hyposmia and Anosmia.Iranian journal of otorhinolaryngology · 2022Article
- Spectrum of Kidney Injury Following COVID-19 Disease: Renal Biopsy Findings in a Single Italian Pathology Service.Biomolecules · 2022Article
- Revealing the mystery of persistent smell loss in Long COVID patients.International journal of biological sciences · 2022Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
7 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 infects host cells mainly through the interaction between the virus's Spike protein and the viral receptors namely Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2 (ACE2) and transmembrane serine protease 2 (TMPRSS2). Both are highly expressed in the gastrointestinal tract, in the nasal and bronchial epithelium, as well as in the type II alveolar epithelial cells. The aim of this review is to report the evidences from the scientific literature on the pathophysiology and the available treatments for olfactory-gustatory disorders in patients with COVID-19. The mechanisms involved in these disorders are still unclear and studies on specific therapies are scarce. However, it has been hypothesized that a decrease in the sensitivity of the sensory neurons as well as the co-expression of ACE2 and TMPRSS2 in the alveolar epithelial cells are the main causes of olfactory-gustatory disorders. The possible mechanisms described in the literature for changes in taste perception in patients with COVID-19 include olfactory disorders and a competitive activity of COVID-19 on ACE2 receptors in the taste buds. In addition, SARS-CoV-2 can bind to sialic acid receptors in the taste buds. In general, evidences show that there is no specific treatment for olfactory-taste disorders induced by SARS-CoV-2, even though some treatments have been used and have shown some promising results, such as olfactory training, intranasal application of sodium citrate and vitamin A, as well as systemic use of omega-3 and zinc. Corticosteroids have also been used as a pharmacological approach to treat patients with olfactory dysfunction with some contradictory results. The knowledge of the mechanisms by which SARS-CoV-2 influences the sensory systems and how effective therapies can treat the loss of smell and taste will have important implications on the understanding and clinical management of olfactory-taste disorders.
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