Effects of Nasal Inflammation on the Olfactory Bulb

Sinonasal diseases, such as rhinosinusitis, affect up to 12% of individuals each year which constitutes these diseases as some of the most common medical conditions in the world. Exposure to environmental pathogens and toxicants via the nasal cavity can result in a severe inflammatory state commonly observed in these conditions. It is well understood that the epithelial and neuronal cells lining the olfactory mucosa, including olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs), are significantly damaged in these diseases. Prolonged inflammation of the nasal cavity may also lead to hyposmia or anosmia. Although various environmental agents induce inflammation in different ways via distinct cellular and molecular interactions, nasal inflammation has similar consequences on the structure and homeostatic function of the olfactory bulb (OB) which is the first relay center for olfactory information in the brain. Atrophy of the OB occurs via thinning of the superficial OB layers including the olfactory nerve layer, glomerular layer, and superficial external plexiform layer. Intrabulbar circuits of the OB which include connectivity between OB projection neurons, OSNs, and interneurons become significantly dysregulated in which synaptic pruning and dendritic retraction take place. Furthermore, glial cells and other immune cells become hyperactivated and induce a state of inflammation in the OB which results in upregulated cytokine production. Moreover, many of these features of nasal inflammation are present in the case of SARS-CoV-2 infection. This review summarizes the impact of nasal inflammation on the morphological and physiological features of the rodent OB.