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The surprising connection between our sense of smell and brain health

Part 2 of the TED Radio Hour episode Big mysteries explained through your senses

NIH researcher Paule Joseph thinks we should stop to smell the roses — literally. Our sense of smell, or lack of it, can reveal a lot about our brain health.

About Paule Joseph

Paule Joseph is a chemosensory researcher and senior investigator at the National Institutes of Health, where she co-directs the National Smell and Taste Center. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she co-founded the Global Consortium for Chemosensory Research to coordinate international research on the loss of taste and smell due to the virus. Her lab at the Section of Sensory Science and Metabolism investigates the relationships between taste, smell, metabolic regulation, and brain function.

Web Resources

Related TED Talk: The nurse who can smell Parkinson's

Related TED Talk: How your sense of smell helps you savor flavor

NPR Links

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TASTE BUDDIES: No Sugarcoating How Sweet Affects The Brain

Copyright 2026 NPR

Manoush Zomorodi
Manoush Zomorodi is the host of TED Radio Hour.
Katie Monteleone
Sanaz Meshkinpour