Selective deficits in the sense of smell caused by chemical modification of the olfactory epithelium.

A chemically selective procedure for covalent modification of Schiff base-forming binding sites in proteins is demonstrated in vitro. In vivo studies show that the same procedure produces a selective anosmia ("odor blindness") when applied to the olfactory epithelia of experimental animals. Surgical experiments confirm that the sense of smell is specifically affected.