I Olfactory Nerve
Examination Technique:

• stimulant should be non-irritating
  
  
• test one nostril at a time with the opposite side occluded
  
  
• patient should not be able to see the stimulus
  
  
• cloves ideal stimulant since it preserves it’s scent
  
  
• improvise at bedside with soap, toothpaste, or perfume

Normal Response:

• to perceive the scent with either nostril
  
  

Abnormal Response:

• a unilateral loss is more likely to be significant and may imply a structural brain lesion affecting the olfactory bulb or tract, but could also be due to local causes such as a deviated septum or blocked nasal passage
  
  
• bilateral loss can occur with rhinitis or damage to the cribriform plate