Gender variation in the histology of olfactory epithelium in senile Syrian hamsters

Abstract

The special sense of olfaction has always provided all different species with vital information about their surrounding environment, due to its capability of detecting chemical stimuli and encoding them into neural impulses. Olfaction starts peripherally at the olfactory epithelium present in the nasal cavity, which relays sensory information to the higher cortical centers via the olfactory nerves. Olfactory function is affected by several factors. Ageing is the best known among such factors. Clinically, the prevalence of olfactory problems increases with age. Sex differences are evident in the ageing process, and there is accumulating evidence for the role of ovarian hormones in mediating brain function. Functional imaging methods suggest sex differences in receptor activity. This study was therefore conducted to observe and describe age-related changes in the histology of Syrian hamster olfactory epithelium. It also aimed to describe discrepancies in these changes, if present, between both genders in this matter. A total of 24 Syrian hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus) obtained from Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University – Research Institute (MASRI) were used in this study. The