Sensory Systems papers

Pofolia’s corpus holds 95 papers from Sensory Systems (2012–2026), each with a short summary. Below, the 20 most-cited, then the most recently added.

At a glance

• Most cited: SARS-CoV-2 is associated with changes in brain structure in UK Biobank (2022, 1,557 citations).
• The 20 papers listed have 19,519 citations between them.
• 14 of the 19 with a known journal quartile appeared in a Q1 journal.
• 10 have a free full text (open access).
• Most frequent journals: Hearing Research, International Forum of Allergy & Rhinology, Science.
• Published between 2013 and 2022.

Most cited

Ranked by citation count. Because citations accumulate over time, this list naturally leans towards work published a few years ago; for where the field is now, see “recently added”. How to read the signals

• SARS-CoV-2 is associated with changes in brain structure in UK Biobank

  Nature · 2022 · Q1 · SJR 19.00 · FWCI 170.15 · 1,557 citations · Open access

  COVID-19 infection, even in non-hospitalized cases, is linked to measurable changes in brain structure and cognitive decline.

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• Olfactory transmucosal SARS-CoV-2 invasion as a port of central nervous system entry in individuals with COVID-19

  Nature Neuroscience · 2020 · Q1 · SJR 11.00 · FWCI 83.71 · 1,501 citations · Open access

  SARS-CoV-2 can enter the central nervous system (CNS) by crossing the olfactory mucosa, exploiting the proximity of neural and mucosal tissues. The virus was detected in both the nasopharynx and brain, with evidence of neurotropism and associated CNS damage.

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• Non-neuronal expression of SARS-CoV-2 entry genes in the olfactory system suggests mechanisms underlying COVID-19-associated anosmia

  Science Advances · 2020 · Q1 · SJR 4.00 · FWCI 76.38 · 1,247 citations · Open access

  SARS-CoV-2 entry genes ACE2 and TMPRSS2 are expressed in non-neuronal support cells within the olfactory system, not directly in sensory neurons.

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• Store-Operated Calcium Channels

  Physiological Reviews · 2015 · Q1 · SJR 11.00 · FWCI 44.86 · 1,240 citations

  Store-operated calcium channels (SOCs), crucial for cellular functions, are activated by endoplasmic reticulum (ER) calcium depletion, with STIM proteins sensing depletion and Orai proteins forming the channels at ER-plasma membrane junctions.

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• Olfactory receptor responding to gut microbiota-derived signals plays a role in renin secretion and blood pressure regulation

  Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences · 2013 · Q1 · SJR 3.00 · FWCI 22.67 · 1,175 citations · Open access

  A kidney-expressed olfactory receptor, Olfr78, responds to gut microbiota-derived short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and mediates renin secretion, influencing blood pressure regulation in mice.

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• TRP Channels and Pain

  Annual Review of Cell and Developmental Biology · 2013 · Q1 · SJR 7.00 · FWCI 34.37 · 1,135 citations

  Natural irritants from plants like pepper and mint have identified three Transient Receptor Potential (TRP) ion channels (TRPV1, TRPM8, TRPA1) as key molecular detectors of thermal and chemical stimuli that initiate pain sensation.

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• Essential oils used in aromatherapy: A systemic review

  Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Biomedicine · 2015 · Q3 · FWCI 20.35 · 1,113 citations

  This systematic review compiles existing literature on the therapeutic, medical, cosmetic, and psychological uses of essential oils in aromatherapy.

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• Genome sequence of the hot pepper provides insights into the evolution of pungency in Capsicum species

  Nature Genetics · 2014 · Q1 · SJR 15.00 · FWCI 34.46 · 1,075 citations · Open access

  Researchers have sequenced the genome of the hot pepper (Capsicum annuum), revealing it is four times larger than its relative, the tomato. This genomic data offers insights into the evolution of pepper's spiciness and other traits.

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• Olfactory Disorders and Quality of Life--An Updated Review

  Chemical Senses · 2014 · Q3 · FWCI 18.29 · 933 citations

  Loss of the sense of smell, common in about one-fifth of the population, significantly impacts daily life by disrupting food enjoyment, hazard detection, and social interactions.

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• Humans Can Discriminate More than 1 Trillion Olfactory Stimuli

  Science · 2014 · Q1 · SJR 10.00 · FWCI 32.95 · 924 citations

  Humans can discriminate at least 1 trillion different olfactory stimuli, vastly exceeding previous estimates and surpassing the discriminatory capacity of human vision and hearing.

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• Smell dysfunction: a biomarker for COVID‐19

  International Forum of Allergy & Rhinology · 2020 · Q1 · SJR 1.00 · FWCI 57.54 · 841 citations · Open access

  Quantitative smell testing revealed that 98% of COVID-19 patients exhibited smell dysfunction, with an average score of 20.98 compared to 34.10 in controls.

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• Age-Related Cochlear Synaptopathy: An Early-Onset Contributor to Auditory Functional Decline

  Journal of Neuroscience · 2013 · Q1 · SJR 1.00 · FWCI 17.41 · 834 citations · Open access

  Age-related hearing loss is linked to early-onset degeneration of cochlear synapses and nerve fibers, occurring even before changes in hearing thresholds or hair cell counts.

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• Noise-induced cochlear neuropathy is selective for fibers with low spontaneous rates

  Journal of Neurophysiology · 2013 · Q2 · 792 citations

  Noise exposure can damage auditory nerve fibers without affecting hearing thresholds, a paradox explained by the selective loss of fibers with low and medium spontaneous rates, which are crucial for hearing in noisy environments.

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• Association of chemosensory dysfunction and COVID‐19 in patients presenting with influenza‐like symptoms

  International Forum of Allergy & Rhinology · 2020 · Q1 · SJR 1.00 · FWCI 55.95 · 788 citations · Open access

  Loss of smell (anosmia) and taste (ageusia) were strongly associated with COVID-19 positivity in patients with flu-like symptoms, with adjusted odds ratios of 10.9 and 10.2 respectively.

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• Clinical Practice Guideline: Tinnitus

  Otolaryngology · 2014 · FWCI 19.07 · 757 citations

  New clinical guidelines strongly recommend distinguishing bothersome tinnitus from non-bothersome cases and advise against routine head and neck imaging for most tinnitus patients.

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• Alterations in Smell or Taste in Mildly Symptomatic Outpatients With SARS-CoV-2 Infection

  JAMA · 2020 · Q1 · SJR 5.00 · FWCI 51.66 · 743 citations · Open access

  This study evaluated the prevalence, intensity, and timing of altered smell or taste in outpatients with mild SARS-CoV-2 symptoms.

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• Cochlear synaptopathy in acquired sensorineural hearing loss: Manifestations and mechanisms

  Hearing Research · 2017 · Q2 · FWCI 34.36 · 724 citations

  A review highlights cochlear synaptopathy, a permanent disruption of communication between inner hair cells and cochlear nerve fibers, which can occur before traditional hearing loss is detectable.

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• Position paper on olfactory dysfunction

  Rhinology Journal · 2017 · Q1 · SJR 2.00 · FWCI 29.09 · 718 citations · Open access

  This position paper proposes standardized methodologies for assessing olfactory dysfunction to improve research quality and treatment development, addressing the current heterogeneity in definitions and assessment techniques.

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• A systematic review of the reporting of tinnitus prevalence and severity

  Hearing Research · 2016 · Q2 · FWCI 8.05 · 716 citations

  A systematic review of 40 studies found widespread inconsistency in how tinnitus is defined and reported, leading to prevalence estimates varying from 5.1% to 42.7%. Even when using the same definition, prevalence estimates ranged from 11.9% to 30.3%.

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• Rats and Humans Can Optimally Accumulate Evidence for Decision-Making

  Science · 2013 · Q1 · SJR 10.00 · FWCI 20.04 · 706 citations

  Researchers found that the internal memory used to accumulate evidence during decision-making is noiseless in both rats and humans, with variability solely originating from incoming sensory information.

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Recently added

• Chil4 regulates basal cell activation and neuronal differentiation in olfactory epithelium regeneration

  Communications Biology · 2026 · Q1 · SJR 1.00

  Chil4 deficiency in mice leads to zone-specific defects in olfactory neuron regeneration, increased basal cell populations, delayed horizontal basal cell activation, and enhanced inflammatory cell recruitment.

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• Olfactory Tuft Cells Are Critical to Basal Inflammation, Innate Immune Response to Viral Infection, and Modulation of Quiescent Stem Cell Activation, Proliferation and Differentiation

  Cell Proliferation · 2026 · Q1 · SJR 1.00

  Olfactory tuft cells are essential for maintaining basal nasal inflammation and orchestrating the innate immune response to viral infections, also modulating quiescent stem cell activation, proliferation, and differentiation.

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• Nanotechnology-driven strategies for phytochemical-based cancer therapy: Mechanistic and translational perspectives

  Next Materials · 2026 · Q1

  Nanotechnology platforms improve capsaicin's cancer-fighting potential by enhancing solubility, tumor targeting, and efficacy, as shown in preclinical models.

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• Spectrofluorometric determination of nasal cGMP using a propidium iodide supramolecular probe for diagnosis and monitoring of chronic olfactory dysfunction

  Scientific Reports · 2026 · Q1

  A novel spectrofluorometric method accurately quantifies nasal cGMP levels, revealing a 4.6-fold lower concentration in patients with chronic olfactory dysfunction compared to normosmic individuals.

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• Knowledge and attitude among the mothers of children in age group 1–5 years regarding childhood hearing loss

  PLoS ONE · 2026 · Q1

  A survey of 215 mothers of children aged 1-5 years found that while most were aware hearing loss can be congenital or late-onset, substantial gaps exist in understanding its causes and management, with only 42.3% aware of rehabilitative services and 27.4% accepting amplification devices.

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• Evaluation of the Anxiety-Reducing Effects of Aroma Stones with Bergamot Essential Oil before Examinations: A Randomized Controlled Trial

  Journal of Integrative and Complementary Medicine · 2026 · Q2

  A 3-day intervention using aroma stones infused with bergamot essential oil reduced state anxiety scores by 11.7 points (p < 0.001) in university students before exams, compared to control stones with water.

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• Age-related changes in olfactory function: electrophysiological recordings from the olfactory mucosa and human brain

  npj Aging · 2026 · Q1 · SJR 3.00

  Older adults show reduced olfactory function due to slower central processing and diminished neural recruitment, evidenced by prolonged brain signal latencies and reduced oscillatory power in olfactory mucosa and brain.

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• Newborn Hearing Screening in the Otoferlin Gene Therapy Era

  JAMA Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery · 2026 · Q1 · SJR 1.00

  This Viewpoint advocates for updating newborn hearing screening protocols to incorporate automated auditory brainstem response (AABR) testing for otoferlin (OTOF) gene therapy candidacy.

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Journals in this field

The journals that publish most of this field’s papers. Quartile (Q1–Q4), SJR and h-index are from SCImago Journal Rank; “in this field” is how many of the journal’s pooled papers belong here. What is a Q1 journal? · What is the h-index?

Every journal in Sensory Systems (Q1–Q4) →

Other subfields in Neuroscience

• Cognitive Neuroscience
• Biological Psychiatry
• Behavioral Neuroscience
• Endocrine and Autonomic Systems
• Developmental Neuroscience
• Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience
• Neurology (Neuroscience)

All subfields of Neuroscience →

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