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Updated: Feb 4, 2026
08:59
Ex Vivo Preparations of the Intact Vomeronasal Organ and Accessory Olfactory Bulb
Published on: August 4, 2014
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Olfactory bulb atrophy in migraine patients
Tülin Aktürk1, Nermin Tanık2, Halil İbrahim Serin3
1Department of Neurology, Bozok University Medical School, Yozgat, Turkey. tulin_birlik@hotmail.com.
Summary
Migraine patients show reduced olfactory bulb volume (OBV), especially those with osmophobia. This finding may help explain migraine pathophysiology and its connection to odor sensitivity.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Neuroimaging
- Olfactory Neuroscience
Background:
- Osmophobia and odor-triggered headaches are characteristic symptoms differentiating migraine from other primary headaches.
- These odor-related symptoms suggest a potential link between olfactory processing and migraine pathophysiology.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate structural differences in the olfactory bulb and olfactory sulcus in migraine patients.
- To determine if olfactory bulb volume (OBV) and olfactory sulcus depth (OSD) differ between migraineurs and healthy controls, and if osmophobia influences these measures.
Main Methods:
- A study included 62 episodic migraine patients (32 with osmophobia, 30 without) and 31 healthy controls.
- Diagnosis followed ICHD-3 Beta criteria. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used for manual measurement of bilateral OBV and OSD.
- Beck depression and anxiety inventories were administered to assess psychological comorbidities.
Main Results:
- Migraine patients exhibited significantly lower bilateral olfactory bulb volume (OBV) compared to controls, particularly on the left side.
- Migraine patients with osmophobia showed the lowest OBV, with a significant left-weighted bilateral reduction.
- No statistically significant differences in olfactory sulcus depth (OSD) were found between the groups.
Conclusions:
- The observed left-weighted bilateral OBV atrophy in migraine patients suggests a potential neuroanatomical basis for the condition.
- These findings may contribute to understanding migraine pathophysiology and the relationship between migraine and olfactory dysfunction.
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