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At least 271 records · Page 15Linked to original sources
PubMed1984

Hansen's disease and olfaction.

The sense of smell was assessed in a group of 50 leprosy patients. It was found that 40% of the patients showed a mild to complete impairment of the smell sense (anosmia) which was related to the systemic clinical state and to the severity of nasal lesions. Possible reasons for anosmia in leprosy patients are discussed. It has been observed that anosmia may be the presenting feature of leprosy. Most leprosy patients are not aware of olfactory disturbances, and anosmia may be missed unless specifically looked for. It is emphasized that leprosy should be considered an important cause of anosmia, at least in endemic areas, and in an anosmic patient leprosy should be always excluded.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Improvement of olfaction following pansinus surgery.

This study involves ten consecutive anosmic patients who underwent pansinus surgery and have been followed and tested a minimum of one year. They all had advanced obstructive bilateral nasal polyposis and pansinusitis. Persistent severe loss of smell was one of the chief complaints in all ten patients. The surgery performed included bilateral nasal polypectomies, bilateral sphenoidethmoidectomies and bilateral nasal antral windows. Post-operatively, all were treated with a topical corticosteroid nasal spray. Seven of these patients were asthmatic and three were also aspirin-sensitive, some being cortisone-dependent. The University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test (UPSIT) was administered pre-operatively and then at six-month intervals in the post-operative period. Significant initial improvement in smell acuity occurred in seven of the ten patients. One of the seven, however, developed recurrence of the nasal polyposis and again lost his smell capabilities somewhere between the twelfth and eighteenth post-operative months. Another of the patients who did not improve smell sensitivity post-operatively occasionally is aware of fleeting periods of return.

Administration, Intranasal↗
PubMed1991

Successful treatment of phantosmia with preservation of olfaction.

A 26-year-old woman had an 8-year history of phantosmia in her left nostril. The phantosmia could be eliminated by nostril occlusion or cocainization of the olfactory epithelium on the involved side. Because her symptoms and testing suggested a peripheral problem, a full-thickness "plug" of olfactory epithelium from under the cribriform plate (including all the fila olfactoria) was excised. At 5 weeks postoperatively, the phantosmia was completely gone, and her olfactory ability had returned to preoperative levels. Either the removal of abnormal peripheral olfactory neurons from the nose or the interruption of incoming signals to the olfactory bulb eliminated the phantosmia. This form of therapy for phantosmia offers an alternative to more radical procedures such as olfactory bulbectomy and may offer a significant sparing of olfactory ability.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Perireceptor events in olfaction.

Before reaching olfactory receptor neurons, odorant molecules have to cross an aqueous interface: the nasal mucus in vertebrates and the sensillar lymph in insects. Biochemical interactions taking place between odorants and the elements of these phases are called perireceptor events. Main protein constituents of these media, in both insects and vertebrates, are OBPs (odorant-binding proteins). Another class of proteins active in the olfactory perireceptor area includes odorant-degrading enzymes. The structure and the properties of these major proteins, with particular reference to OBPs, are reviewed and their role in olfactory transduction is discussed.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1996

Gaseous second messengers in vertebrate olfaction.

Gaseous monoxides such as nitric oxide (NO) and carbon monoxide (CO) are now recognized as important messengers in the nervous system. The enzymes generating these compounds are highly expressed in the olfactory system, including the epithelium and the main and accessory bulbs. Although the physiological roles of these molecules is still not entirely clear, some important new data has recently emerged. Alternate pathways for NO action, possible interactions between NO, CO, and intermediate proteins, and evidence suggestive of important roles for these molecules in development and regeneration are reviewed here. Of particular interest is the possible modulatory role of NO or CO in the transduction process, an area in which there has been an explosive growth in new data. Although it is clear that NO and CO are integral to the functioning of the olfactory system, it is equally obvious that many of the potential roles have yet to be clearly defined.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Expression of major urinary protein genes in the nasal glands associated with general olfaction.

Gene expression of major urinary protein (MUP) mRNAs was examined in the mouse nasal tissue. By polymerase chain reaction, we identified two cDNA segments encoding MUP 4 and MUP 5 genes in the nose. The expression level of both MUP 4 and 5 mRNAs in the nasal tissue was very high and exceeded that of the liver. Liver MUPs are excreted into the urine and are known to play an important role in pheromonal communication. We showed that nose and liver MUPs were composed of different subtypes of MUPs and that nose MUP mRNAs was detected in prepubescent periods when liver MUP mRNAs had not yet been transcripted. In situ hybridization revealed that nose MUP mRNAs are localized in the lateral wall and nasal septum and their expression pattern is identical to that of rat odorant-binding protein (OBP)-I. We also identified cDNA of mouse OBP-II gene from the nasal tissue and showed that the expression pattern of MUP gene was identical to that of OBP-II gene in the nose. These histological data indicate that nose MUPs are favorable for catching odorant molecules rather than pheromones, and may share their function with OBPs.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1993

Second messenger signalling in olfaction.

Odorous molecules are recognized by specific receptor proteins located in the ciliary membrane of olfactory receptor neurons. These receptors have been identified using molecular cloning--they are members of the seven-transmembrane-domain G protein-coupled receptor superfamily. Specific receptor subtypes are expressed in subsets of olfactory neurons spatially segregated within certain areas of the olfactory epithelium. Interaction of odorants with receptors initiates the primary reaction of olfactory signalling. Intracellular reaction cascades are activated via specific G proteins, leading to a rapid and transient rise in second messenger levels; odorous compounds elicit mutually exclusive cAMP or inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate responses. Odorant-induced second messenger signalling is terminated via kinase-mediated negative feedback loops uncoupling the reaction cascades by phosphorylation of receptor proteins. Strong odour stimuli elicit a delayed response of another messenger system, the nitric oxide/cGMP cascade. cGMP may control some adaptive reactions in olfactory receptor neurons.

Animals↗