Olfactory dysfunction is a common and early symptom of many neurodegenerative diseases, particularly of Parkinson’s disease and other synucleinopathies, Alzheimer’s disease (AD), and mild cognitive impairment heralding its progression to dementia. The neuropathologic changes of olfactory dysfunction in neurodegenerative diseases may involve the olfactory epithelium, olfactory bulb/tract, primary olfactory cortices, and their secondary targets. Olfactory dysfunction is related to deposition of pathological proteins, α-synuclein, hyperphosphorylated tau protein, and neurofilament protein in these areas, featured by neurofibrillary tangles, Lewy bodies and neurites inducing a complex cascade of molecular processes including oxidative damage, neuroinflammation, and cytosolic disruption of cellular processes leading to cell death. Damage to cholinergic, serotonergic, and noradrenergic systems is likely involved, since such damage is most marked in those diseases with severe anosmia. Recent studies of olfactory dysfunction have focused its potential as an early biomarker for the diagnosis of neurodegenerative disorders and their disease progression. Here, we summarize the current knowledge on neuropathological and pathophysiological changes of the olfactory system in the most frequent neurodegenerative diseases, in particular AD and synucleinopathies. We also present neuropathological findings in the olfactory bulb and tract in a large autopsy cohort (n = 536, 57.8 % female, mean age 81.3 years). The severity of olfactory bulb HPτ, Aβ, and αSyn pathology correlated and increased significantly (P < 0.001) with increasing neuritic Braak stages, Thal Aβ phases, and cerebral Lewy body pathology, respectively. Hence, further studies are warranted to investigate the potential role of olfactory biopsies (possibly restricted to the olfactory epithelium) in the diagnostic process of neurodegenerative diseases in particular in clinical drug trials to identify subjects showing early, preclinical stages of neurodegeneration and to stratify clinically impaired cohorts according to the underlying cerebral neuropathology.

Olfactory bulb involvement in neurodegenerative diseases

Decreased olfactory function is very common in the older population, being present in >50% of individuals aged between 65 and 80 years and in 62-80% of those >80 years of age. Smell dysfunction significantly influences physical well-being, quality of life, nutritional status as well as everyday safety and is associated with increased mortality. Multiple factors contribute to age-related olfactory sensory loss, including nasal engorgement, cumulative damage of the olfactory epithelium from environmental insults, a reduction in mucosal metabolizing enzymes, sensory loss of receptor cells to odorants, and changes in neurotransmitter and neuromodulator systems. In addition, structural and functional abnormalities of the olfactory epithelium, olfactory bulb, central olfactory cortex, and basic olfactory circuitry, which are related to the neuronal expression of aberrant proteins in these areas, may result in olfactory sensory impairment in aging and neurodegenerative diseases. Impaired odour identification is associated with a decrease in cognitive abilities and memory decline. A reduction in the sense of smell is considered to potentially represent an early and important warning of neurodegenerative disorders, particularly of Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease, and, in mild cognitive impairment, olfactory impairment may herald progression to dementia. Further investigations of the potential role of olfactory dysfunction in the early diagnosis and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases are warranted.

/pdf/olfaction-and-aging-a-mini-review-44gt0dho5s.pdf

Olfaction and Aging: A Mini-Review.

We interact with the physical world through our senses, and these aid our behavioral performance and various activities of life. Sensory information is transmitted in neuronal networks, and the brain optimally interprets the external and internal milieu/environment. This paper delineates the framework in which the pathogenesis of memory and cognitive dysfunction is underpinned by sensory olfactory dysfunction. ERC is the gateway for olfactory input to the hippocampus, and there is seamless synchronization between sensory function and hippocampal activity. Transmission of olfactory information to the hippocampus is sequential-it is projected from the olfactory receptors to olfactory bulb to the primary olfactory cortex (comprised the anterior olfactory nucleus, the olfactory tubercle, and the piriform cortex) to the entorhinal cortex (ERC). Through perforant pathway ERC enables olfactory inputs to effectively excite hippocampal neurons. One of the earliest pathological changes in Alzheimer's disease (AD) include the olfactory dysfunction and the atrophy in ERC and hippocampus (rate in ERC is higher than in the hippocampus). Olfactory dysfunction negatively impacts the ERC and the deafferenting of the hippocampus from olfactory inputs upregulates memory decline. Olfactory dysfunction, therefore, is an important and early correlate of AD pathology. A number of factors described here may cause olfactory dysfunction; this may lead to hypoperfusion, hypometabolism, impaired synaptic transmission, and variable atrophy in olfaction-related regions. Improvement in olfactory function, therefore, is an important goal in order to attenuate cognitive neuropathology in aging and AD. This article seeks to provide a comprehensive and balanced overview of olfactory neuropathology in incipient AD, and suggests strategies to enhance olfactory function and ameliorate cognitive decline.

/pdf/olfactory-dysfunction-its-early-temporal-relationship-and-kf8gj0rqb8.pdf

Olfactory dysfunction: its early temporal relationship and neural correlates in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease

Anterior cingulate cortical lesion attenuates food foraging in rats.

Foraging behavior is a species-specific behavior which is considered to involve the decision making and higher cognitive functions. We previously established a novel method to detect the foraging behavior in chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS)-induced depression mice, in which the food foraging activity of mice was significantly reduced. Furthermore, it is generally assumed that the bilateral anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) is related to foraging activity in rat. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is widely expressed in many regions of the brain and is down-regulated in depressive patients. However, the relationship between the precursor of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (proBDNF) and depression has not been fully elucidated. The results showed that CUMS in mice induced anxiety- and depression-like behaviors and significant reduction in BDNF messenger RNA (mRNA) in the brain. In this study, we evaluated the effect of anti-BDNF and anti-proBDNF in the ACC on the CUMS-induced depression mice. In contrast to the normal IgG group (normal IgG microinjection into the ACC), bilateral ACC treatment with anti-proBDNF microinjection not only reversed depressive activity but also significantly increased the amount of foraged food and BDNF mRNA in the brain. There was no significant alteration in the group of anti-BDNF microinjection into the ACC. Our data indicate that the proBDNF signaling pathway might down-regulate the foraging activity in CUMS rodents and be involved in the depression.

Injection of Anti-proBDNF in Anterior Cingulate Cortex (ACC) Reverses Chronic Stress-Induced Adverse Mood Behaviors in Mice.

An age-related axon terminal pathology around the first olfactory relay that involves amyloidogenic protein overexpression without plaque formation.

A simple method for detection of food foraging behavior in the rat: involvement of NMDA and dopamine receptors in the behavior

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An age-related axon terminal pathology around the first olfactory relay that involves amyloidogenic protein overexpression without plaque formation.

A simple method for detection of food foraging behavior in the rat: involvement of NMDA and dopamine receptors in the behavior