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A Free-breathing fMRI Method to Study Human Olfactory Function
Published on: July 30, 2017
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Investigating morphological changes in the brain in relation to etiology and duration of olfactory dysfunction with
E M Postma1,2, P A M Smeets3,4, W M Boek5
1Division of Human Nutrition and Health, Wageningen University & Research, P.O. Box 17, 6700 AA, Wageningen, The Netherlands. elbrich.postma@wur.nl.
Scientific Reports
|June 17, 2021
Summary
Olfactory loss (OL) impacts brain structure. Etiology and duration of OL affect gray matter volume (GMV) in olfactory regions, particularly the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), linking brain changes to olfactory function.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Neuroimaging
- Olfactory Research
Background:
- Olfactory loss (OL) affects up to 20% of the population.
- OL is associated with structural changes in brain regions involved in olfaction.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how the cause (etiology) and duration of OL influence gray matter volume (GMV) in olfactory-related brain regions.
- To explore the relationship between olfactory function and regional GMV.
Main Methods:
- Voxel-based morphometry (VBM) was used to analyze GMV in 257 patients with OL.
- Statistical analyses tested the effects of OL etiology and duration on regional GMV and its correlation with olfactory function.
Main Results:
- The etiology of OL significantly impacted GMV in the gyrus rectus and orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), bilaterally.
- Congenital anosmia was linked to reduced gyrus rectus GMV and increased OFC volume compared to acquired OL.
- A significant association was found between left OFC volume and olfactory function in patients with acquired OL.
Conclusions:
- GMV changes in acquired OL are primarily observed in the OFC and correlate with olfactory function.
- Brain morphology in olfactory areas appears to be influenced by olfactory function and sensory input.
- Observed GMV differences in congenital anosmia likely stem from a lifelong absence of olfactory experience.
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