Basic science research for regenerative treatment of olfactory dysfunction by head injury

本研究旨在探讨用筋膜代替筛网板是否能促进嗅神经断裂后的嗅觉神经恢复。在轻度损伤模型中，损伤相关组织的面积明显变小，并且在42天再生的神经已经重建了与球的肾小球层的连接。损伤严重时，损伤相关组织面积增大，星形胶质细胞和巨噬细胞增多，再生神经纤维减少。严重损伤后注射地塞米松（dexamethasone， DXM），损伤相关组织明显减少，神经恢复较好，星形胶质细胞和巨噬细胞减少。这些结果表明，嗅觉系统的恢复随损伤的严重程度而变化，并且DXM治疗可能通过减少损伤相关组织和改善恢复结果而具有治疗价值。

The present study wad designed to investigate if replacing the cribriform plate with fascia can facilitate olfactory nerve recovery after olfactory nerve transection. Areas of injury-associated tissue were significantly smaller in the mild injury model, and at 42 days the regenerated nerves had reestablished connections to the glomerular layer of the bulb. With severe injury, there were larger areas of injury-associated tissue, more astrocytes and macrophages, and a decrease in regenerated nerve fibers. When dexamethasone (DXM) was injected after severe injury, there was a significant reduction in injury-associated tissue, better nerve recovery and fewer astrocytes and macrophages. These results demonstrate that recovery in the olfactory system varies with the severity of injury, and that DXM treatment may have therapeutic value by reducing injury-associated tissue and improving recovery outcome.