Mind & Mood
COVID-related loss of smell may be associated with mental health risks
Research we're watching
If you had COVID-19 and lost your sense of smell for more than a week or two, it might be worth mentioning to your doctor. Dr. Tanya Laidlaw, associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and director of translational research in allergy at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women’s Hospital, says that there is some emerging evidence that people who lose their sense of taste and smell for longer periods may be at higher risk for mental health disorders, such as anxiety and depression. Discussing this problem with your doctor can make it easier to get early intervention if you start to experience mental health problems.
The COVID virus doesn’t directly affect the sensory nerves in the nose. Instead it damages the cells that support the function of these nerves. But the reason for the possible association between longer-term loss of smell and mental health risks remains unknown.
About the Author
Kelly Bilodeau, Former Executive Editor, Harvard Women's Health Watch
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