NIH Toolbox for the Assessment of Neurological and Behavioral Function - Sensory Domain

Important public health goals are the maintenance of independent living, health, and quality of life, all of which may all be affected by sensory loss. By identifying avoidable risk factors and delaying the onset through early identification and treatment, we can lessen the burden of disease associated with sensory disorders. Identifying and intervening to ameliorate sensory disorders in childhood can have major and continuing effects on growth and development for healthy futures. All sensory impairments are known to increase with age, and with increasing life expectancy in the U.S., the prevalence of sensory impairments will increase dramatically.

Among the five senses, people depend on vision and hearing to provide the primary cues for conducting the basic activities of daily life. At the most basic level, vision and hearing together with vestibular balance and the proprioceptive sense (and other somatosenses) permit people to navigate and to stay oriented within their environment. The chemosenses of taste (gustation) and smell (olfaction) are the only human sensory systems with the capacity to regenerate after damage, meaning some recovery of function may be possible after onset of illness (e.g., diabetes, hypertension, stroke), head trauma, surgery, or other deleterious events. Since complete loss of taste and smell are uncommon, these conditions may seem insignificant when compared to blindness and deafness. However, sufferers of anosmia (complete loss of smell) or ageusia (complete loss of taste) often describe their lives as nearly unbearable because they are deprived of the many pleasant tastes and odors of daily living.