Human olfactory sensitivity varies across geographical locations
It has been assumed that olfactory sensitivity is relatively consistent in different populations worldwide. Emerging, yet fragmented evidence lends credit to the hypothesis that olfactory sensitivity may be geographically diverse. To gain deeper insight regarding the interplay between geographical, demographic, and health factors in the context of olfactory sensitivity, we conducted a multicenter study comprising data from 1046 participants inhabiting 19 locations around the world. Our results revealed that location accounted for 17–20% of the variance in chemosensory sensitivity. Demographic and psychological factors related to working memory and depressive symptoms also contribute to explaining sensitivity to odors, accounting for 1.6–2.9% of the variance in chemosensory sensitivity. Thus, we conclude that inhabitants of different geographical regions may present different sensitivities to chemical stimuli. We discuss the factors that could potentially be included in future investigations to pinpoint even more precisely what factors determine differences in chemosensory sensitivity around the globe.
Authors
- Barbara Żyżelewicz (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4858-1647)
- Katarzyna Resler (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1399-5524)
- R. Kamel
- Nixon M. Abraham (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8523-716X)
- Jancy Nixon Abraham (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1334-3972)
- Çağdaş Güdücü (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7735-4048)
- Farhad Rafiei
- Carla Masala
- Marjan Mirsalehi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9952-5653)
- Brianna J. Turner (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6143-0619)
- Ayaho Yoshino (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3577-1799)
- Anna Oleszkiewicz (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2217-1858)
- Maria L. Albanese
- Mehmet K. Mahmut (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9228-0884)
- I. Miri
- Marco Aurélio Fornazieri
- Marlise K. Hofer (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3758-1756)
- Lixin Chen (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9910-6483)
- Shahid Husain (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9216-5229)
- Sharanya Thodupunoori
- Elliott Lamond (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7235-5949)
- Fatima Gansatao
- Hangying Wu
- Aleksandra Reichert (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0007-7026-588X)
- Johannes Frasnelli
- Daniel Marek (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0005-2613-5485)
- Élizabeth Michaluk
- Plamena Miteva
- Keigo Nakaachi
- Hozifa Alsaid Sheta
- Nora Van Oosterhout
- Juan Martin Fuselli
- Hanène Naija
- Laiquan Zou
- Rafieh Alizadeh
- Francesco Loy
- Ahmed Radwan
- Ines Aloulou
- Henrique O. Scussiatto
- Patricia Portillo Mazal
- Thomas Hummel
- Ma. Lourdes Berioso Enecilla
- Isabel Bernardes Moura
- Jayant M. Pinto
- Devesh Rawat
- Anasuha Musa
- Anna Kristina Hernandez
Institutions
- Universidade Estadual de Londrina (BR)
- Cairo University (EG)
- Iran University of Medical Sciences (IR)
- University of Cagliari (IT)
- Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná (BR)
- Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Pune (IN)
- Dokuz Eylül University (TR)
- University of Victoria (CA)
- University of Wrocław (PL)
- Shiv Nadar University (IN)
- Philippine General Hospital (PH)
- Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires (AR)
- Wroclaw Medical University (PL)
- University of Chicago (US)
- East Avenue Medical Center (PH)
- St. Luke's Medical Center (PH)
- Institute of Psychology (PL)
- Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Cagliari (IT)
- Wroclaw University of Health and Sport Sciences (PL)
- University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus (DE)
- Southern Medical University (CN)
- Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières (CA)
- Nippon Medical School (JP)
- Manouba University (TN)
- National University of Malaysia (MY)
- Macquarie University (AU)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Scientific Reports
- Published
- 2026-02-18
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-38727-w
- Primary Topic
- Olfactory and Sensory Function Studies
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00