Olfactory Processing in Autism Spectrum Disorders
Summary
Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are characterised by a range of atypical sensory responses, among which alterations in olfactory processing have emerged as a significant but understudied domain. Individuals with ASD exhibit a complex pattern of olfactory sensitivity, with some reporting heightened detection of faint odours and others experiencing diminished responsiveness. Studies have reported both hypersensitivity—manifested as lower detection thresholds and exaggerated intensity judgments—and hyposensitivity, with elevated thresholds and reduced identification accuracy. These divergent profiles suggest heterogeneity within the ASD population, potentially influenced by factors such as age, cognitive ability and comorbid sensory processing dysfunction. Atypical responses to odour pleasantness have been linked to both hyper-responsiveness in social contexts and flattened affective reactions to aversive odours. At the neural level, aberrant activation patterns in regions implicated in olfactory working memory and attention, notably within the prefrontal cortex, have been associated with detection and evaluative impairments. These sensory discrepancies bear practical implications for daily life, affecting social communication, food selectivity and the development of adaptive behaviours. The global significance of this field lies in the potential of olfactory measures to serve as objective biomarkers for ASD subtypes and to inform personalised interventions that address both sensory and social challenges.
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Olfactory Processing in Autism Spectrum Disorders publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in olfactory processing in autism spectrum disorders across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Olfactory detection threshold: The minimum concentration of an odorous substance that can be perceived.
Olfactory identification: The ability to recognise and label specific odours.
Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS): A non-invasive imaging method that measures cortical blood oxygenation changes associated with neural activity.
Olfactory working memory: The capacity to temporarily store and manipulate olfactory information for cognitive tasks.
Sensory hypersensitivity: An exaggerated response to sensory stimuli, resulting in heightened perception or discomfort.
References
- A Meta-Analysis of Odor Thresholds and Odor Identification in Autism Spectrum Disorders. Frontiers in Psychology (2017).
- Characterisation of Physiological Responses to Odours in Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Preliminary Study. Applied Sciences (2023).
- Prefrontal Responses to Odors in Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorders: Functional NIRS Measurement Combined With a Fragrance Pulse Ejection System. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience (2020).
- Characterizing Olfactory Function in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Children with Sensory Processing Dysfunction. Brain Sciences (2020).
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