Last edited: 2/19/2022

OLFACTORY NERVE | CRANIAL NERVE I

Neurology | Olfactory Nerve | Cranial Nerve I Medical Editor: Sohani Kashi Puranic

OUTLINE Based on the development of the olfactory system,

organisms can be divided as:
I) OVERVIEW
II) OLFACTORY SYSTEM MACRO SOMATIC
III) OLFACTORY EPITHELIUM & OLFACTORY NERVES
IV) OLFACTORY BULB, TRACT, STRIAE
V) OLFACTORY CORTICAL AREAS
VI) CLINICAL CORRELATION MICROSMATIC
VII) REVIEW QUESTIONS
VIII) REFERENCES

I) OVERVIEW II) OLFACTORY SYSTEM

Smell is one of the special senses
Special senses have highly specialized receptors which
provide specific information about the environment
These receptors are located close to the brain and the
pathways are complex and well-coordinated
The following structures are included in the olfactory system:
Olfactory epithelium, Olfactory nerves
Olfactory bulb, tract, striae
Olfactory cortical areas

III) OLFACTORY EPITHELIUM & OLFACTORY NERVES

(A) LOCATION OF OLFACTORY EPITHELIUM (C) PATHWAY FOR ODORANTS
The olfactory epithelium is a specialized nasal epithelium

It is present just below the cribriform plate of ethmoid bone

(B) COMPONENTS
(1) Olfactory Nerves
These are special bipolar neurons
(i) Location & Arrangement
 They lie vertically in the olfactory epithelium

(ii) Parts:
(a) Dendritic extension

(b) Axon extension

o Present below the frontal lobe of cerebral cortex

(2) Epithelial Cells
(i) Structure
 Very thin cells
 Present microvilli towards the free surface of the
epithelium- MOTILE

(ii) Functions:
 Supporting cells
 Produces little mucus
 Helps in movement of air Figure 1. Olfactory Epithelium & Olfactory Nerves

(3) Bowman Glands

These are the nasal glands
They secrete mucus
(4) Mucus film
(i) Components
 Rich in Cl- ions
(ii) Functions:
 Humidifies inhaled air
 Warms inhaled air
 Moistens inhaled air
 Traps and dissolves chemical for smell sensation

OLFACTORY NERVE | CRANIAL NERVE I NEURO PHYSIOLOGY: Note #44. 1 of 5

 TRANSDUCTION PATHWAY- ACTIVATION OF IMMOTILE CILIA

Figure 2. Transduction Mechanism

(1) Receptor proteins
(i) Location
(ii) Properties
 Olfactory neurons express one type of specific
 Each specific receptor protein can respond to
receptor protein
multiple odorants
 These proteins are present on the immotile cilia
 1 odorant can also bind to many different
receptor proteins
(2) Mechanism of Activation
(i) Receptor:
(iii) During activation:
 G-PROTEIN C OUPLED R ECEPTOR
 GDP is substituted for GTP
 GTP bound G-Olfactory Protein is active
 It then activates Adenylate Cyclase present on
(ii) G-Protein the membrane
 Adenylate cyclase converts ATP to cAMP
 Called G-Olfactory Protein
 Normally bound to GDP
 Causes

(iv) Effect of ion movement

 Influx of Na+, Ca2+ ions & Efflux of Cl- ions

(3) Adaptation
(i) Mediator
 Ca2+ ions are responsible for adaptation (ii) Mechanism
 When exposed to a smell for long periods of time,
 Desensitization
the ability to recognize the smell decreases
 Mediated by calcium by changing the membrane
over time
potentials

2 of 5 NEURO PHYSIOLOGY: Note #44. OLFACTORY NERVE | CRANIAL NERVE I

 IV) OLFACTORY BULB, TRACT, STRIAE

Figure 3. Olfactory Bulb

(A) OLFACTORY BULB
(1) Glomerulus (3) Tufted cells
Consists of the dendritic terminals of 2 cells:

(i) Bipolar cells (olfactory nerves)

(ii) Mitral cells
Odorants bind to specific receptors of the immotile cilia of
bipolar cells

As odorants can stimulate multiple receptors, multiple

glomeruli are also stimulated by a single type of odorant
Figure 5. Tufted Cell
(2) Mitral cells The dendritic extension goes to MANY GLOMERULI
Analogous to, but smaller than mitral cells
(4) Granule cells

(i) Other namesake

 They are Amacrine granule cells
 Also called Stellate cells

(ii) Structure
 Have 2 extensions
1. Extension for dendritic terminals of mitral cells
2. Extension for cell body of mitral cells

(iii) Function
 Excited by mitral cells
Figure 4. Mitral Cell  When activates, the release chemicals onto mitral cells
The dendritic extension only goes to 1 GLOMERULUS
Dendrites of bipolar cells release excitatory
neurotransmitters
Allows only the most excitatory impulses
from olfactory neurons to reach the CNS

OLFACTORY NERVE | CRANIAL NERVE I NEURO PHYSIOLOGY: Note #44. 3 of 5

 (B) OLFACTORY TRACT (D) OLFACTORY STRIAE
(1) Formation: The olfactory tract divides into 2 near the Anterior
Perforated Substance:
The axons of mitral cells leaving the olfactory bulb forms
the olfactory tract (i) Medial Olfactory Stria
(C) OLFACTORY TUBERCLE (ii) Lateral Olfactory Stria
(1) Function
Has efferent axons to the Granule cells

V) OLFACTORY CORTICAL AREAS

The smell pathway is BILATERAL - some fibers cross over to contralateral cortex
Various parts of the cortex are supplied by the olfactory striae:

(A) MEDIAL OLFACTORY STRIA (B) LATERAL OLFACTORY STRIA

(1) Formation (1) Formation
Mainly formed by axons of the tufted cells Mainly formed by the axons of mitral cells
(2) Function (2) Function
Associated emotions with smell through its connection Become consciously aware/ perceive olfaction
with limbic system
(3) Cortical structures involved
(3) Cortical structures involved
(i) Uncus
(i) Para-Olfactory area (ii) Piriform cortex
(ii) Subcallosal gyrus (iii) Entorhinal cortex
(iii) Orbitofrontal cortex (iv) Amygdaloid complex
(v) Hippocampal gyrus

VI) CLINICAL CORRELATION

(A) ANOSMIA

(1) Causes

(i) Nasal infection

(ii) Para Nasal Sinus infection
(iii) Olfactory groove meningiomas
(iv) Trauma
 Fracture of cribriform plate of ethmoid bone
causes CSF rhinorrhea
Anosmia is sign of Early Onset Neurodegenerative
Diseases
(2) Mechanism
Mucus layer becomes thicker

Figure 6. Anosmia

Smell is directly related to taste

4 of 5 NEURO PHYSIOLOGY: Note #44. OLFACTORY NERVE | CRANIAL NERVE I

 VII) REVIEW QUESTIONS
1) Where is the location of Olfactory epithelium?
a) Oral cavity
b) Nasal Cavity
c) Pharynx
d) Cerebral cortex

2) Fracture of cribriform plate of ethmoid bone causes:

a) CSF Rhinorrhea
b) Black eye
c) CSF Otorrhea
d) Nasopharyngeal carcinoma

3) Glomerulus is comprised of which structures?

a) Mitral cell
b) Bipolar cell
c) Granule cell
d) Both a & b

4) Which ions mediates adaptation?

a) Sodium
b) Chloride
c) Calcium
d) Potassium

5) Which cell primarily ensures that only the most

excitatory impulses reach the brain?
a) Mitral cell
b) Epithelial cell
c) Granule cell
d) Bipolar cell

6) During transduction, which component is increased?

a) ATP
b) cAMP
c) GTP
d) cGMP

7) The cilia of bipolar cells are:

a) Motile
b) Immotile
c) Both a & b
d) None of the above

8) Mucus is rich in which of the following ions?

a) Sodium
b) Chloride
c) Calcium
d) Potassium

OLFACTORY NERVE | CRANIAL NERVE I NEURO PHYSIOLOGY: Note #44. 5 of 5