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Updated: Jul 4, 2026

The Olfactory System as a Model to Study Axonal Growth Patterns and Morphology In Vivo
Published on: October 30, 2014
Correlation of olfactory function with changes in the volume of the human olfactory bulb
Antje Haehner1, Antje Rodewald, Johannes C Gerber
1Department of Neurology, University of Dresden Medical School, Fetscherstrasse 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany.
Objective:
To investigate changes of olfactory bulb (OB) volume over time in relation to olfactory function.
Design:
Prospective, before-after trial.
Setting:
Outpatient clinic of a university clinic for otorhinolaryngology.
Patients:
A total of 20 patients with olfactory loss participated in the study. The duration of olfactory deficits ranged from 3 months to 6 years.
Main Outcome Measures:
Olfactory function was assessed for phenyl ethyl alcohol odor threshold, odor discrimination, and odor identification. Olfactory bulb volume was determined using magnetic resonance imaging.
Results:
In initially hyposmic patients (n = 13), changes in OB volume were found to correlate with odor threshold changes (r = 0.82; P = .001); no such correlation was found for odor discrimination or odor identification.
Conclusion:
As demonstrated in a longitudinal study for the first time to our knowledge, the human OB is a highly plastic structure that responds to individual changes in olfactory status.
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