The nasal cycle in patients with autonomic nervous disturbance

The nasal cycle is thought to be controlled by the autonomic nervous system. In this study, we measured nasal airflow resistance in patients with lesions of the autonomic nerves that supply the nasal mucosa. We examined 20 patients with facial palsy as examples of parasympathetic disturbance, five with Horner's syndrome as examples of sympathetic disturbance, and one with acute pandysautonomia. The nasal cycle was observed in 13 patients with facial palsy and four patients with Horner's syndrome. The nasal cycle was also observed in one patient with acute pandysautonomia and disturbance of the sympathetic-parasympathetic nerves. Our results indicate that disturbance of the parasympathetic and sympathetic nerves has little influence on the nasal cycle.