Korean J Otolaryngol-Head Neck Surg.  2005 Dec;48(12):1462-1467.

The Effect of Superior Cervical Ganglionectomy on Recovery of Olfaction in Induced Anosmic Mice

• Lee NS
• Kim BG
• Park JM
• Park YS
• Kim SW
• Kim SW
• Lee SK

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES
This study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of superior cervical ganglionectomy (SCG) on anosmia, which is peripherally induced in the mice. MATERIALS AND METHOD: Three groups of mice (BCF1) were studied: normal control (nasal instillation of saline, n=6); zinc sulfate group (nasal instillation of 64 mM zinc sulfate, n=25); SCG group (superior cervical ganglionectomy after nasal instillation of 64 mM zinc sulfate, n=25). Tissues of olfactory mucosa were obtained at 1, 2, 3, 4 and 7 weeks after instillation of zinc sulfate, and processed for immunohistochemistry using antisera to olfactory marker protein (OMP) to evaluate the olfactory regeneration. RESULTS: No OMP-positive cells were observed in the first two weeks after the instillation of zinc sulfate in both zinc sulfate group and the SCG group. However, the OMP-positive cells appeared first at 3 weeks after the instillation in both groups, and gradually increased in number at 4 and 7 weeks. In the SCG group, the increase of OMP-positive cells was significantly greater than those of the zinc sulfate group. The number of OMP-positive cells in the SCG group at 7 weeks was almost similar to that of the normal control group. CONCLUSION: SCG enhances regeneration of olfactory receptor cells at 3 weeks after injury. It was inferred from the above results that SCG has a significant effect on the regeneration of olfactory receptor cells and we suggest that SCG could be an effective treatment modality for olfactory dysfunction.

Keyword

Anosmia; Olfaction; Olfactory receptor neurons; Sympathetic nerve block

MeSH Terms

Animals
Autonomic Nerve Block
Ganglionectomy*
Immune Sera
Immunohistochemistry
Mice*
Olfaction Disorders
Olfactory Marker Protein
Olfactory Mucosa
Olfactory Receptor Neurons
Regeneration
Smell*
Zinc Sulfate
Immune Sera
Olfactory Marker Protein
Zinc Sulfate