Preliminary study of DTI on cerebral white matter micro-structure of patients with idiopathic olfactory loss / 临床耳鼻咽喉头颈外科杂志

OBJECTIVES@#To investigate the cerebral white matter micro-structure in patients with idiopathic olfactory loss using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI).@*METHODS@#Sixteen patients with idiopathic olfactory loss and sixteen normal subjects matched by age and sex were recruited in this study. Sniffin'Stick olfactory test was performed to evaluate the olfactory function of all subjects. We acquired diffusion tensor images with an echo planar imaging (EPI) sequence from all subject on a 3T scanner. The fractional anisotropy (FA) images were performed using DTI-studio, and bilateral Piriform cortex, Orbitofrontal cortex, Hippocampus and Insula cortex adjacent white matter and Capsula interna were delineated as the region of interesting (ROI), the FA for each ROI was calculated. Independent sample t test analysis was used to compare the FA value of all ROIs between the controls and patients. In addition, correlation analysis between FA value and MMSE score in patients were conducted.@*RESULTS@#Compared with the controls, patients showed significantly decreased FA value in the adjacent white matter of bilateral Piriform cortex, Orbitofrontal cortex, Hippocampus and Insula cortex (0.05).@*CONCLUSIONS@#The patients with idiopathic olfactory loss show the damage of white matter micro-structure in the olfactory center, which could be important for the pathogenesis study and early intervention of idiopathic olfactory loss.

Effects of ginkgo biloba extract combined with glucocorticoid on olfactory function and inflammatory cytokines in mice with allergic rhinitis / 临床耳鼻咽喉头颈外科杂志

To determine whether ginkgo biloba extract(GBE)combined with dexamethasone(DEX)plays a role in the treatment of allergic rhinitis-related olfactory dysfunction using an animal model.Six week old BALB/C mice were sensitized and challenged with ovalbumin.30 sensitized mice were divided into three groups:Group 1 was given high-dose GBE and DEX(n=10);Group 2 was given low dose GBE and DEX(n=10);Group 3 was given DEX alone(n=10).We assessed the histology of the olfactory mucosa and serum IL-4,IFN-γ,and caspase 1.A significant higher fraction of mice in group 1 could find the food pellet within300 scompared to group 3(<0.05).Caspase-1 levels improved during the second week compared with the first week in each group.IFN-γlevels were significantly lower during the second week compared with the first week(<0.05,all).IL-4 levels also were significantly lower during the second week compared with the first week in all groups except those receiving DEX alone.IFN-γ/IL-4 levels in each group were significantly lower during the second week compared with the first week(<0.05,all).In this animal model of allergic rhinitis-related olfactory dysfunction,the addition of ginkgo biloba extract to dexamethasone have a better anti-inflammatory effect,which can partly improve the therapeutic effect on olfactory dysfunction caused by allergic rhinitis.

Effect of Betamethasone on the cAMP of olfactory receptor neurons in rat / 中华耳鼻咽喉头颈外科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the effects of Betamethasone on the cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) in olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs) and explore the possible mechanisms of the recovery of olfactory disorders by steroid treatment</p><p><b>METHODS</b>ORNs membrane was extracted and incubated with 0.1 mg/ml and 1.0 mg/ml Betamethasone. The concentrations of cAMP were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay at different times.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared with the control group, all Betamethasone groups showed differences, indicating 0.1 mg/ml (P < 0.05) and 1.0 mg/ml (P < 0.01) Betamethasone could rise the concentration of cAMP. The Betamethasone had obvious effects on cAMP production in rat ORNs and there was a dose-dependent effect. There was no difference between 5 minutes groups and 30 minutes groups.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Steroid hormone could enhance the production of cAMP of ORNs. Steroid hormone may thus contribute to the recovery of olfactory disorders partially, at least, through the effect on AC-cAMP in olfactory transduction.</p>