Oh, they haven't? Yeah, I was gonna ask, is there anything you can do for them?

So we don't have a lot of treatment when it comes to, to smell and taste.

We primarily have, um, you know, olfactory training is one of the things that we tend to recommend to individuals, and it works for some people, but it doesn't work for others.

We need to know exactly, you know, the, the reason, like, what caused the loss of smell, and how early are we catching people.

And if we catch it early, we see that if it's based on a virus, you can...

it can regenerate, and people can gain their sense of smell back, but for others, it just doesn't happen at all.

So this is why we have been focused through, you know, through the National Smell and Taste Center and some of the other centers around the country on really understanding what is happening, what are the mechanisms, what are the things that are changing from a biological perspective so we can develop drugs and treatments and interventions that can help people long term.

Mm.

And now, TED Fellow Polly Joseph.

I love the smell of rain, just the amazing smell when you go outside.

It takes me back home to Venezuela.

I love the smell of chlorine in the summertime.

My kids love swimming, but I love just really spending time with them in the pool.

The smell of like crayon, it really takes me back to like kindergarten.

Smell of Christmas.

It's coming up.

[instrumental music] I love the smell of rain, just the amazing smell when you go outside.

It takes me back home to Venezuela.

I love the smell of chlorine in the summertime.

My kids love swimming, but I love just really spending time with them in the pool.

The smell of, like, crayon, it really takes me back to, like, kindergarten.

The smell of Christmas 'cause it's my birthday.

Um, I also think it's, it's so fascinating that you say that smell is the only sense that's directly connected to our brain's limbic system, and I'm wondering if you could talk a little bit more about the connection between smell and neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's and dementia, which you mentioned.