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The Use of Olfactory Receptor Neurons (ORNs) from Biopsies to Study Changes in Aging and Neurodegenerative Diseases a
Author(s) -
RAWSON NANCY E.,
GOMEZ GEORGE,
COWART BEVERLY,
RESTREPO DIEGO
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
annals of the new york academy of sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.712
H-Index - 248
eISSN - 1749-6632
pISSN - 0077-8923
DOI - 10.1111/j.1749-6632.1998.tb10648.x
Subject(s) - olfactory receptor , olfaction , olfactory system , dementia , medicine , neuroscience , audiology , disease , biology
A gradual loss of olfactory capability with age and in a number of neurodegenerative diseases is common, and mechanisms underlying these losses are not understood. We determined the feasibility of using ORNs obtained from olfactory epithelial biopsies to identify possible changes in ORN function that may contribute to olfactory impairment in these individuals. ORNs from nine healthy subjects (66‐84 yr), three patients with Alzheimer's disease and one with multi‐infarct dementia were studied with calcium imaging techniques and two odorant mixtures. Seventy‐five viable ORNs were studied; 53% of these were odorant responsive, and twenty percent of these responded to both odorant mixtures. In contrast, 25% of 173 ORNs from younger subjects were odorant responsive, and none of these responded to both odorant mixtures. The proportion of cells responding to each of the odorant mixtures also differed between older and younger subjects. These studies demonstrate the feasibility of this approach to examine age or disease‐associated changes in neuronal function. Further, age‐related changes in ORN selectivity may contribute to changes in olfactory perfor mance.