Why do you often lose your sense of taste when you have a bad cold and are very congested?
A) Because everything that you breathe passes your tongue, and so if you can't breathe through your nose the taste receptors on the back of the tongue will not get the sensory information needed for a taste sensation.
B) Because both smell and taste use the same chemicals for sensory reception.
C) Because the back of the mouth cavity is connected to the nasal cavity.
D) Because the olfactory processing centers of the brain are located right next to the gustatory processing centers.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

C) Because the back of the mouth cavity is connected to the nasal cavity. This connection means that when you're congested, the flow of air and the transfer of aroma molecules to the olfactory receptors in the nasal cavity are impeded, significantly reducing your ability to taste. Taste and smell are closely linked; much of what we perceive as taste comes from our sense of smell.

Why Do You Often Lose Your Sense of Taste When