Tom recently had surgery to remove some polyps (growths) from his sinuses. After he heals from the surgery, he notices that his sense of smell is not as keen as it was prior to the procedure. What is the reason for this side effect?
What will be an ideal response?
In removing the polyps, some of the olfactory epithelium was probably damaged or destroyed. This would have decreased the surface area containing olfactory receptors. Thus, it would also have decreased the area of interaction available for odor molecules, diminishing the intensity of the stimulus. As a result, it would take a larger stimulus to provide the same level of smell after the surgery.
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