What sense is loss when there a fracture of the ethmoid bone?

The sense of smell is lost when there is a fracture of the ethmoid bone. The ethmoid bone is a thin, fragile bone located at the base of the skull. It forms part of the eye sockets and the nasal cavity. The ethmoid bone contains numerous small air cells, which help to warm and moisten the air that we breathe. The olfactory nerves, which are responsible for the sense of smell, pass through the ethmoid bone. A fracture of the ethmoid bone can damage the olfactory nerves, resulting in a loss of smell.