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Related Concept Videos

Olfactory Receptors: Location and Structure01:03

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The process of olfaction, also known as the sense of smell, is a sophisticated chemical response system. The specialized sensory neurons that facilitate this process, known as olfactory receptor neurons, are situated in an upper segment of the nasal cavity, known as the olfactory epithelium. Olfactory sensory neurons are bipolar, with their dendrites extending from the epithelium's apex into the mucus that lines the nasal cavity. Airborne molecules, when inhaled, traverse the olfactory...
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Olfaction01:25

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The sense of smell is achieved through the activities of the olfactory system. It starts when an airborne odorant enters the nasal cavity and reaches olfactory epithelium (OE). The OE is protected by a thin layer of mucus, which also serves the purpose of dissolving more complex compounds into simpler chemical odorants. The size of the OE and the density of sensory neurons varies among species; in humans, the OE is only about 9-10 cm2.
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Humans detect odors with the help of specialized cells located in the upper part of the nasal cavity, called olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs). ORNs possess hair-like structures called cilia, which are receptive to sensations from the inhaled air. When an odorant molecule binds to a specific receptor on the cell of the cilia, it leads to a series of events that ultimately cause the ORN to send electrical signals to the olfactory bulb in the brain through the olfactory nerves.
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A Free-breathing fMRI Method to Study Human Olfactory Function
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Structural brain changes in post-acute COVID-19 patients with persistent olfactory dysfunction.

Anna Campabadal1,2, Javier Oltra1,2, Carme Junqué1,2

  • 1Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.

Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology
|December 16, 2022
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Persistent olfactory dysfunction after COVID-19 is linked to brain structure changes. Research shows reduced gray matter and altered white matter diffusion in olfactory regions, impacting smell over time.

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroimaging
  • Neurology
  • Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • Persistent olfactory dysfunction is a common, yet poorly understood, sequela of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
  • Understanding the underlying structural brain changes is crucial for developing targeted treatments for post-COVID-19 olfactory deficits.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate structural brain alterations in patients experiencing persistent olfactory dysfunction following COVID-19 infection.
  • To correlate these brain changes with olfactory test performance.

Main Methods:

  • Structural MRI (T1-weighted, Diffusion Tensor Imaging) was performed on 48 COVID-19 patients (9.94 ± 3.83 months post-diagnosis).
  • Gray matter (GM) voxel-based morphometry and tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) were used to analyze brain structure and white matter integrity.
  • Patients were categorized based on olfactory function using the University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test (UPSIT), and results were compared between groups.

Main Results:

  • Patients with olfactory dysfunction (n=23) exhibited reduced GM volume in olfactory-related regions, including the amygdala, insula, and orbitofrontal cortex, compared to those with normal olfaction (n=25).
  • Increased mean diffusivity (MD) and radial diffusivity (RD) were observed in white matter tracts such as the corpus callosum and uncinate fasciculus in the olfactory dysfunction group.
  • Lower UPSIT scores correlated negatively with increased MD and RD values across the cohort.

Conclusions:

  • Structural brain changes, specifically decreased gray matter volume and altered white matter diffusion in olfactory pathways, are associated with persistent olfactory dysfunction after COVID-19.
  • These neuroimaging findings provide a potential explanation for prolonged smell deficits in the post-acute phase of COVID-19.