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Lately, researchers noted that losing the sense of smell, or anosmia, is a common symptom of COVID-19 patients. Two VCU researchers are studying the occurrence of anosmia in COVID-19 patients. For them it’s a natural growth of their work to create a way to restore a sense of smell to individuals who have lost the ability when the nose’s neural pathways are severed from the olfactory bulb.

A CEO with smell loss is funding the technology, which would aid the sensory transmission and interpretation functions of the olfactory system.

Researchers are studying the sensory impact of the coronavirus, how long it lasts and what can be done to treat it.

Researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University found that having a brain injury made it more likely a COVID-19 infection would result in a loss of the sense of smell or taste, and have recommended “smell training” to patients to help regain it.

Whether a person has lost their sense of smell from Covid, a traumatic brain injury or invasive surgery, scientists hope they may soon have a way to fix it. That's because they're developing an implant — similar to one currently used to improve hearing — that zaps the brain when it detects odours and brings back a person's ability to smell.

Smell disruption is becoming a less-common symptom of COVID-19 as the virus evolves, but given that more than half a billion cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed worldwide, tens of millions of people probably have lingering problems with their sense of smell.

Richard Costanzo, a professor emeritus at Virginia Commonwealth University, is developing a neuroprosthetic device to restore the sense of smell using electronic sensors and brain implants, similar to cochlear implants for hearing. His work gained urgency after COVID-19 led to widespread cases of smell loss. The device uses e-nose sensors to detect odors and transmit signals to the brain’s olfactory bulb. Though still in development, the technology offers hope for people like

COVID-19 pandemic has brought new energy to scientific efforts to restore people’s sense of smell

Two scientists are working on a neuroprosthetic that may help millions with anosmia, such as those who lost their sense of smell because of covid

AI, implants & smell: Dr. Daniel Coelho, VCU Health

Dr. Richard Costanzo discusses deep brain stimulation research about the sense of smell.