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Elsevier
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Olfactory Nerve
Nervous System

Olfactory Nerve

Nervus olfactorius

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Origin

The olfactory nerves originate in the nasal mucosa. They are formed by the olfactory sensory neurons that merge into olfactory nerve bundles.

Course

From the nasal mucosa, the olfactory nerves pass through the cribriform foramina of the ethmoid bone to reach the anterior cranial fossa. Here, the olfactory nerves enter the olfactory bulb.

Branches

There are no named branches.

Supplied Structures

The olfactory nerves are sensory and convey the sense of olfaction to the brain. Its main target is the primary olfactory cortex, located in the uncus and entorhinal cortex of the temporal lobe. Additional axons will target the amygdala and other parts of the limbic system.

List of Clinical Correlates

—Anosmia

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These are the olfactory nerve fibers, which originate in the neurosensory cells of the olfactory epithelium and pass through the cribriform plate of the ethmoid bone to enter the superficial layers of the olfactory bulb, where they form functional synaptic connections with target neurons in the CNS.

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