PDF(Pubmed)
Abstract：
Olfactory dysfunctions decrease daily quality of life (QOL) in part by reducing the pleasure of eating. Olfaction plays an essential role in flavor sensation and palatability. The decreased QOL due to olfactory dysfunction is speculated to result from abnormal neural activities in the olfactory and limbic areas of the brain, as well as peripheral odorant receptor dysfunctions. However, the specific underlying neurobiological mechanisms remain unclear. As the olfactory tubercle (OT) is one of the brain\'s regions with high expression of endogenous opioids, we hypothesize that the mechanism underlying the decrease in QOL due to olfactory dysfunction involves the reduction of neural activity in the OT and subsequent endogenous opioid release in specialized subregions. In this review, we provide an overview and recent updates on the OT, the endogenous opioid system, and the pleasure systems in the brain and then discuss our hypothesis. To facilitate the effective treatment of olfactory dysfunctions and decreased QOL, elucidation of the neurobiological mechanisms underlying the pleasure of eating through flavor sensation is crucial.
摘要：
嗅觉障碍降低了日常生活质量（QOL），部分原因是降低了进食的乐趣。嗅觉在风味感觉和适口性中起着至关重要的作用。推测嗅觉功能障碍导致的QOL下降是由于大脑嗅觉和边缘区域的神经活动异常所致，以及周围气味受体功能障碍。然而,具体的潜在神经生物学机制尚不清楚.由于嗅结节(OT)是内源性阿片类药物高表达的脑区之一,我们假设嗅觉功能障碍导致QOL下降的潜在机制涉及OT中神经活动的减少以及随后在特定亚区的内源性阿片样物质释放.在这次审查中,我们提供了关于OT的概述和最近的更新，内源性阿片系统，和大脑中的快乐系统，然后讨论我们的假设。为了促进有效治疗嗅觉障碍和生活质量下降，阐明通过风味感觉进食的乐趣的神经生物学机制至关重要。
