European scientists say subjectively feeling like you’re losing your sense of smell is linked with depression, but when scientists actually measure the loss of the sense objectively, it is less strongly linked with depression, except in older people and anosmic patients, who have a total or partial inability to smell.

The team pooled and re-analysed the data from seven previous studies looking for links between subjective smell loss and depression, and 11 that looked at objective smell loss and depression. All seven studies looking at subjective smell loss showed a link between feeling like you’re losing the sense and depression, while the 11 studies on objective smell loss found this link was weaker, except in people aged 65 and over and anosmia patients.

The clinical implications of the findings are still to be established, and longer-term studies that look at how this might work in the body are needed, the authors conclude.