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Olfactory bulb involvement in neurodegenerative diseases
Attems J, Walker L, Jellinger KA.. Acta neuropathologica, 2014-02-20
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
Olfactory dysfunction is a common and early symptom of many neurodegenerative diseases, particularly of Parkinson's disease and other synucleinopathies, Alzheimer's disease (AD), and mild cognitive impairment heralding its progression to dementia. The neuropathologic changes of olfactory dysfunction in neurodegenerative diseases may involve the olfactory epithelium, olfactory bulb/tract, primary olfactory cortices, and their secondary targets. Olfactory dysfunction is related to deposition of pathological proteins, α-synuclein, hyperphosphorylated tau protein, and neurofilament protein in these areas, featured by neurofibrillary tangles, Lewy bodies and neurites inducing a complex cascade of molecular processes including oxidative damage, neuroinflammation, and cytosolic disruption of cellular processes leading to cell death. Damage to cholinergic, serotonergic, and noradrenergic systems is likely involved, since such damage is most marked in those diseases with severe anosmia. Recent studies of olfactory dysfunction have focused its potential as an early biomarker for the diagnosis of neurodegenerative disorders and their disease progression. Here, we summarize the current knowledge on neuropathological and pathophysiological changes of the olfactory system in the most frequent neurodegenerative diseases, in particular AD and synucleinopathies. We also present neuropathological findings in the olfactory bulb and tract in a large autopsy cohort (n = 536, 57.8 % female, mean age 81.3 years). The severity of olfactory bulb HPτ, Aβ, and αSyn pathology correlated and increased significantly (P < 0.001) with increasing neuritic Braak stages, Thal Aβ phases, and cerebral Lewy body pathology, respectively. Hence, further studies are warranted to investigate the potential role of olfactory biopsies (possibly restricted to the olfactory epithelium) in the diagnostic process of neurodegenerative diseases in particular in clinical drug trials to identify subjects showing early, preclinical stages of neurodegeneration and to stratify clinically impaired cohorts according to the underlying cerebral neuropathology.
Key findings
- The severity of olfactory bulb HPτ, Aβ, and αSyn pathology correlated and increased significantly (P < 0.001) with increasing neuritic Braak stages, Thal Aβ phases, and cerebral Lewy body pathology, respectively.
Why it matters
This review describes that olfactory dysfunction is a common and early symptom of several neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease, and is related to deposition of pathological proteins such as alpha-synuclein and hyperphosphorylated tau in olfactory areas. It notes recent studies have focused on olfactory dysfunction as a potential early biomarker for diagnosis and disease progression, but reports no treatment or cure.
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Study details
- Participants536
- Evidence strengthModerate
How this study scored 58/100
Published in a leading specialty journal. Scored zero for study design, effect reported and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 9 / 10 | Tier 2 — leading specialty journal (Acta neuropathologica) |
| Journal's citation record | 3 / 4 | Acta Neuropathologica: journal h-index 287 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 3 / 5 | Rated “moderate” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 2014 — within 20 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 2 / 4 | 536 participants |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 6 / 7 | Cited 345 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 4 / 5 | 24.6 citations a year over 14 year(s) since 2014 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 16.1× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 2 / 6 | Cited by 5 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 3 / 4 | Cited 84 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 4 / 4 | Last-listed author K. A. Jellinger: h-index 137 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | Newcastle University: institution h-index 932 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 2 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 24554308) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 58 / 100 | — |
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Read the original
- DOI: 10.1007/s00401-014-1261-7
- PubMed: 24554308
- Original source →
- Free full text: Newcastle University ePrints (Newcastle Univesity) →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Attems, J., Walker, L., & Jellinger, K. A. (2014). Olfactory bulb involvement in neurodegenerative diseases. Acta neuropathologica. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00401-014-1261-7
Vancouver
Attems J, Walker L, Jellinger KA. Olfactory bulb involvement in neurodegenerative diseases. Acta neuropathologica. 2014. doi:10.1007/s00401-014-1261-7. PMID: 24554308.
BibTeX
@article{attems2014-24554308,
author = {Attems, J. and Walker, L. and Jellinger, K. A.},
title = {{Olfactory bulb involvement in neurodegenerative diseases}},
journal = {Acta neuropathologica},
year = {2014},
doi = {10.1007/s00401-014-1261-7},
pmid = {24554308},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1007/s00401-014-1261-7}
}
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