Olfactory nerve
Updates to Article Attributes
The olfactory nerveis is the first (CN I) cranial nerve responsible (TA: nervus olfactorius or nervus cranialis I) and is responsible for conveying the sense of smell from the nasal cavity to the brain. Along with the optic nerve, it is actually a peripheral extension of the central nervous system.
Summary
- location: olfactory groove; anterior cranial fossa near the midline
- branches and supply: 20 or so olfactory filaments in the roof of the nasal cavity
Gross anatomy
Course
Olfactory filaments
The bipolar cell is the first-order sensory neurone located in the roof of the nasal cavity, immediately inferior to the cribriform plate of the ethmoid bone. This cell is analogous to the sensory cells of spinal nerves, whose cell bodies reside in the dorsal root ganglion.
Olfactory bulb
Their central processes form filaments (~20) which pass through the cribriform plate, pierce the dura mater and relay in the olfactory bulb, the expanded anterior portion of the nerve that sits in the olfactory fossa.
Olfactory tract
The central process of these second-order neurones forms the olfactory tract which courses posteriorly, superior to the olfactory groove of the anterior cranial fossa, and inferior to the olfactory sulcus (lateral to gyrus rectus, and medial to the orbital gyri).
Olfactory striae
Anterior to the anterior perforated substance, they form medial and lateral olfactory striae. The lateral olfactory striae project to the uncus. The medial olfactory striae ultimately project to the hypothalamus and brainstem nuclei.
Radiographic features
MRI
Coronal images are the best to depict the olfactory nerve as it is situated deep in the olfactory groove.
Related pathology
-<p>The <strong>olfactory nerve </strong>is the first <strong>(CN I)</strong> <a href="/articles/cranial-nerves">cranial nerve</a> responsible for conveying the sense of smell from the nasal cavity to the brain. Along with the <a href="/articles/optic-nerve">optic nerve</a>, it is actually a peripheral extension of the <a href="/articles/central-nervous-system-1">central nervous system</a>.</p><h4>Summary</h4><ul>- +<p>The <strong>olfactory nerve</strong> is the <strong>first</strong> <strong>(CN I)</strong> <a href="/articles/cranial-nerves">cranial nerve</a> (<a href="/articles/terminologia-anatomica-1">TA</a>: nervus olfactorius or nervus cranialis I) and is responsible for conveying the sense of smell from the nasal cavity to the brain. Along with the <a href="/articles/optic-nerve">optic nerve</a>, it is actually a peripheral extension of the <a href="/articles/central-nervous-system-1">central nervous system</a>. </p><h4>Summary</h4><ul>
- +<li><a title="Anosmia" href="/articles/anosmia">anosmia</a></li>
References changed:
- 1. Chummy S. Sinnatamby. Last's Anatomy. (2011) ISBN: 9780702033957 - <a href="http://books.google.com/books?vid=ISBN9780702033957">Google Books</a>
- 2. Carmine D. Clemente. Anatomy. (2011) ISBN: 9781582558899 - <a href="http://books.google.com/books?vid=ISBN9781582558899">Google Books</a>
- 3. Sheth S, Branstetter B, Escott E. Appearance of Normal Cranial Nerves on Steady-State Free Precession MR Images. Radiographics. 2009;29(4):1045-55. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1148/rg.294085743">doi:10.1148/rg.294085743</a> - <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19605655">Pubmed</a>
- 4. FIPAT. Terminologia Anatomica. 2nd Ed. FIPAT.library.dal.ca. Federative International Programme for Anatomical Terminology, 2019. <a href="https://fipat.library.dal.ca/TA2/">https://fipat.library.dal.ca/TA2/</a>
- 1. Last's Anatomy. Churchill Livingstone. (2011) ISBN:0702033952. <a href="http://books.google.com/books?vid=ISBN0702033952">Read it at Google Books</a> - <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0702033952">Find it at Amazon</a><span class="ref_v3"></span>
- 2. Clemente CD. Anatomy. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. (2011) ISBN:1582558892. <a href="http://books.google.com/books?vid=ISBN1582558892">Read it at Google Books</a> - <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1582558892">Find it at Amazon</a><span class="ref_v3"></span>
- 3. Sheth S, Branstetter BF, Escott EJ. Appearance of normal cranial nerves on steady-state free precession MR images. Radiographics. 2009;29 (4): 1045-55. <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1148/rg.294085743">doi:10.1148/rg.294085743</a> - <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19605655">Pubmed citation</a><span class="auto"></span>
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