Cribriform Plate Foramina Count in Patients With Acquired and Congenital Anosmia
Research output: Contribution to journal › Research article › Contributed › peer-review
Contributors
Abstract
Background: Cribriform foramina provide the openings for olfactory nerve fibers to cross from the nasal cavity to the olfactory bulb. Disruption of the olfactory nerve fibers is known to affect olfactory function, but little is known about the potential effects on the number of cribriform foramina in congenital anosmia. Objective: This pilot study aimed to investigate whether there was a reduction in foramina in patients with acquired and congenital anosmia (including both Kallmann syndrome and isolated congenital anosmia) compared to controls with normal olfactory function. Methods: Paranasal CT image stacks were analyzed from 20 patients with congenital anosmia (n = 6), acquired anosmia (n = 6), or normal olfactory function (n = 8). Cribriform foramina were counted by three observers from the slice revealing the crista galli and the ethmoidal slits. The two closest values for each subject were analyzed in comparison across the three groups using one-way analysis of variance. Results: Patients with congenital, but not acquired, anosmia had significantly fewer cribriform foramina (x̄ ± SE = 10.17 ± 1.23) compared to healthy, normosmic controls (x̄ ± SE = 19.88 ± 2.01). There was no significant difference in foramina count between congenital and acquired anosmics (x̄ ± SE = 15.83 ± 3.47). Conclusion: In this pilot study, a reduced number of cribriform foramina was found in individuals with congenital anosmia. Examination of cribriform foramina could be helpful in counseling patients with olfactory loss. Further investigation in larger studies with additional cohorts is warranted.
Details
Original language | English |
---|---|
Journal | American Journal of Rhinology and Allergy |
Publication status | E-pub ahead of print - 21 Oct 2024 |
Peer-reviewed | Yes |
External IDs
PubMed | 39428867 |
---|---|
ORCID | /0000-0001-9713-0183/work/172085492 |
Keywords
ASJC Scopus subject areas
Keywords
- anosmia, cribriform foramina, cribriform plate, crista galli, ethmoid bone, Kallmann syndrome, olfactory bulb, olfactory dysfunction, olfactory nerve, tomography, X-Ray computed