phantosmia

phantosmia

English

Etymology

• Blend of phantom (from Ancient Greek φάντασμα (phántasma)) and Ancient Greek ὀσμή (osmḗ, “smell”).

Noun

phantosmia (countable and uncountable, plural phantosmias)

1. (pathology) A form of parosmia involving olfactory hallucinations in which the perceived smell is triggered apparently without cause rather than by another smell.
   • 1997, Allen M. Seiden, Taste and Smell Disorders, page 5,

     In addition, phantosmias or, in essence, olfactory hallucinations have been described in association with seizure activity, psychiatric illness, and Alzheimer's Disease.

   • 2005, B. N. Landis, T. Hummel, J.-S. Lacroix, Basic and Clinical Aspects of Olfaction, Nejat Akalan, Concezio Di Cuore Rocco, Vinko V. Dolenc, Rudolf Fahlbusch, J. Lobo Antunes, Marc Sindou, Nicolas De Tribolet, Cees A.F. Tulleken (editors), Advances and Technical Standards in Neurosurgery, Volume 30, page 86,

     Most often, phantosmias occur after trauma or URTI and consist of unpleasant odors occurring without being elicited through environmental odor sources.

   • 2009, Eric H. Holbrook, 10: Clinical Assessment and Management of Olfactory Disorders, Fred J. Stucker, Chris de Souza, Guy S. Kenyon, Timothy S. Lian, Wolfgang Draf, Bernhard Schick (editors), Rhinology and Facial Plastic Surgery, page 116,

     Patients with phantosmia thought to be related to abnormal olfactory signal processing will often confirm a unilateral presentation to the distorted smell when asked.

Related terms

• anosmia
• cacosmia
• dysosmia
• euosmia
• hyperosmia
• hyposmia
• parosmia
• troposmia