The olfactory receptor cellsare in direct contact with the exterior environment, and some chemical agents can impair olfactory function. The olfactory functionof 54 paintersexposed to organicsolvents wascomparedwiththat of 42unexposed referents. A new clinical test validated for the sense of smell was used, the University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test. Age, smoking habits, exposure to organic solvents, and medical disorders of importance for the sense of smell were recorded. The

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... ters had a somewhat lower test score than the referents. However, the influence of the exposure variable was not statistically significant in a multiple regression analysis including age and smoking habits. The exposure to organic solvents was low, and therefore an effect of high exposure on olfactory function cannot be ruled out. Since some of the painters had earlier been highly exposed, the effects of high exposure are likely to be reversible.