Olfaction and gustation in blindness: a state of the art of the literature

To date, there are quite a few studies assessing olfaction and gustation in blindness, with great variability in sample size, participants' age, blindness onset and smell and taste evaluation methods. Indeed, the evaluation of olfactory and gustatory performance can differ depending on several factors, including cultural differences. Therefore, here we analysed through a narrative review, all the works reporting a smell and taste assessment in blind individuals during the last 130 years, trying to summarize and address the knowledge in this field.

Automated summary

In the past 130 years, numerous studies have assessed olfaction and gustation in blind individuals. These studies exhibit significant variability in terms of sample size, participants' age, blindness onset, and methods for evaluating smell and taste. Cultural differences are also found to influence the evaluation of olfactory and gustatory performance.