Asymmetry of the olfactory system in the brain of the winter flounder, Pseudopleuronectes americanus. 1984

P D Prasada Rao, and T E Finger

Adult flatfishes exhibit grossly asymmetric external morphology. Even the olfactory apparatus is asymmetric, being larger on the upward-facing side. We undertook the present study on the winter flounder, Pseudopleuronectes americanus, to examine whether the asymmetry of the peripheral olfactory system is maintained in its central organization. In winter flounder, the right olfactory organ, nerve, and bulb are larger than the contralateral counterparts. In addition, the right telencephalon is about 8% larger than the left. Horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and degeneration techniques were used to trace the central connections of the olfactory bulbs. Neurons afferent to the olfactory bulb occur bilaterally in the telencephalon and mesencephalic tegmentum. Afferent neurons are also present at the junction between the posterodorsal bulb and telencephalon, in the basal preoptic region, nucleus of the posterior tuber, locus coeruleus, raphe nucleus, and the contralateral bulb. Each olfactory bulb projects bilaterally to several restricted areas of the telencephalon, the posterodorsal neurons of the nucleus preopticus and the tuberal region, with ipsilateral connections being heavier in all areas. Corresponding to the differences in the peripheral olfactory apparatus, the central olfactory projections were also asymmetric. The right olfactory bulb projects to 2.6% of the ipsilateral telencephalon and 1.99% of the contralateral telencephalon. The left bulb projects to 1.8% of the ipsilateral and 0.6% of the contralateral telencephalic hemisphere. Thus the left telencephalon receives roughly equal olfactory input from the two sides, while the right telencephalon receives vastly more input from the right olfactory system. The asymmetry in the projections of the right and left bulbs may be due to differential postmetamorphic growth of the olfactory system on the two sides.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D009830 Olfactory Bulb Ovoid body resting on the CRIBRIFORM PLATE of the ethmoid bone where the OLFACTORY NERVE terminates. The olfactory bulb contains several types of nerve cells including the mitral cells, on whose DENDRITES the olfactory nerve synapses, forming the olfactory glomeruli. The accessory olfactory bulb, which receives the projection from the VOMERONASAL ORGAN via the vomeronasal nerve, is also included here. Accessory Olfactory Bulb,Olfactory Tract,Bulbus Olfactorius,Lateral Olfactory Tract,Main Olfactory Bulb,Olfactory Glomerulus,Accessory Olfactory Bulbs,Bulb, Accessory Olfactory,Bulb, Main Olfactory,Bulb, Olfactory,Bulbs, Accessory Olfactory,Bulbs, Main Olfactory,Bulbs, Olfactory,Glomerulus, Olfactory,Lateral Olfactory Tracts,Main Olfactory Bulbs,Olfactorius, Bulbus,Olfactory Bulb, Accessory,Olfactory Bulb, Main,Olfactory Bulbs,Olfactory Bulbs, Accessory,Olfactory Bulbs, Main,Olfactory Tract, Lateral,Olfactory Tracts,Olfactory Tracts, Lateral,Tract, Lateral Olfactory,Tract, Olfactory,Tracts, Lateral Olfactory,Tracts, Olfactory
D009831 Olfactory Mucosa That portion of the nasal mucosa containing the sensory nerve endings for SMELL, located at the dome of each NASAL CAVITY. The yellow-brownish olfactory epithelium consists of OLFACTORY RECEPTOR NEURONS; brush cells; STEM CELLS; and the associated olfactory glands. Olfactory Epithelium,Olfactory Membrane,Epithelium, Olfactory,Membrane, Olfactory,Membranes, Olfactory,Mucosa, Olfactory,Olfactory Membranes
D009833 Olfactory Pathways Set of nerve fibers conducting impulses from olfactory receptors to the cerebral cortex. It includes the OLFACTORY NERVE; OLFACTORY BULB; OLFACTORY TRACT; OLFACTORY TUBERCLE; ANTERIOR PERFORATED SUBSTANCE; and OLFACTORY CORTEX. Olfactory Pathway,Pathway, Olfactory,Pathways, Olfactory
D001921 Brain The part of CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM that is contained within the skull (CRANIUM). Arising from the NEURAL TUBE, the embryonic brain is comprised of three major parts including PROSENCEPHALON (the forebrain); MESENCEPHALON (the midbrain); and RHOMBENCEPHALON (the hindbrain). The developed brain consists of CEREBRUM; CEREBELLUM; and other structures in the BRAIN STEM. Encephalon
D001931 Brain Mapping Imaging techniques used to colocalize sites of brain functions or physiological activity with brain structures. Brain Electrical Activity Mapping,Functional Cerebral Localization,Topographic Brain Mapping,Brain Mapping, Topographic,Functional Cerebral Localizations,Mapping, Brain,Mapping, Topographic Brain
D002490 Central Nervous System The main information-processing organs of the nervous system, consisting of the brain, spinal cord, and meninges. Cerebrospinal Axis,Axi, Cerebrospinal,Axis, Cerebrospinal,Central Nervous Systems,Cerebrospinal Axi,Nervous System, Central,Nervous Systems, Central,Systems, Central Nervous
D004027 Diencephalon The paired caudal parts of the PROSENCEPHALON from which the THALAMUS; HYPOTHALAMUS; EPITHALAMUS; and SUBTHALAMUS are derived. Interbrain,Interbrains
D005399 Fishes A group of cold-blooded, aquatic vertebrates having gills, fins, a cartilaginous or bony endoskeleton, and elongated bodies covered with scales.
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D001699 Biometry The use of statistical and mathematical methods to analyze biological observations and phenomena. Biometric Analysis,Biometrics,Analyses, Biometric,Analysis, Biometric,Biometric Analyses

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