The Effects of Hypoxic Hypoxia on Olfactory Sensitivity in Humans

This study examined the influence of hypoxic hypoxia on olfactory sensitivity in humans. Olfactory detection thresholds for n -butanol were studied when the subjects (male volunteers aged 18–20 years without ear, nose, or throat diseases and with low tolerance to hypoxia) breathed a hypoxic gas mixt...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Biophysics (Oxford) 2018-05, Vol.63 (3), p.463-468
Main Authors: Bigdaj, E. V., Bezgacheva, E. A., Samojlov, V. O., Korolyev, Y. N.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Biological and Medical Physics
Biophysics
Butanol
Complex Systems Biophysics
Hemoglobin
Hypoxia
Nose
Olfactory thresholds
Oxygenation
Pharynx
Physics
Physics and Astronomy
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Summary:This study examined the influence of hypoxic hypoxia on olfactory sensitivity in humans. Olfactory detection thresholds for n -butanol were studied when the subjects (male volunteers aged 18–20 years without ear, nose, or throat diseases and with low tolerance to hypoxia) breathed a hypoxic gas mixture. To mimic hypoxic hypoxia, participants were asked to breathe a gas mixture containing 10.5% oxygen. The oxygen level in the blood was controlled by the degree of hemoglobin oxygenation, as measured using a Nonin 9843 digital portable pulse oximeter (United States). The results of our study show that with a low fraction of inspired oxygen the olfactory detection thresholds for n -butanol increased ( p ≤ 0.01). Therefore, a human olfactory receptor becomes less sensitive under hypoxic hypoxia.
ISSN:0006-3509
1555-6654
DOI:10.1134/S000635091803003X