temporary inability to distinguish a particular odor after a prolonged exposure; condition in which a person's nose adapts to continuous prolonged exposure to particular odors, so is no longer able to detect that odors. Such adaptation can happen rapidly and recovery may be fast or slow depending on the initial stimulus. Olfactory fatigue involves adaptation of nervous system in addition to receptor adaptation. One example is losing the ability to smell and distinguish wine bouquet after sniffing at wines continuously for an extended period of time; or being immune to our own body odor.
