Causal impact of local inflammation in the nasal cavity on higher brain function and cognition

Yuto Hasegawa; Ho Namkung; Amy Smith; Shinji Sakamoto; Xiaolei Zhu; Koko Ishizuka; Andrew P Lane; Akira Sawa; Atsushi Kamiya

doi:10.1016/j.neures.2021.04.009

Causal impact of local inflammation in the nasal cavity on higher brain function and cognition

Neurosci Res. 2021 Nov:172:110-115. doi: 10.1016/j.neures.2021.04.009. Epub 2021 Apr 28.

Authors

Yuto Hasegawa¹, Ho Namkung², Amy Smith³, Shinji Sakamoto¹, Xiaolei Zhu¹, Koko Ishizuka¹, Andrew P Lane³, Akira Sawa⁴, Atsushi Kamiya⁵

Affiliations

¹ Department of Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 600 N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA.
² Department of Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 600 N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 600 N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA.
³ Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 600 N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA.
⁴ Department of Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 600 N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 600 N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 600 N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA; Department of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 600 N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA; Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, 600 N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁵ Department of Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 600 N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA. Electronic address: [email protected].

Abstract

Epidemiological evidence suggests that adverse environmental factors in the nasal cavity may increase the risk for neuropsychiatric diseases. For instance, air pollution and nasal viral infection have been underscored as risk factors for Parkinson's disease, schizophrenia, and mood disorders. These adverse factors can elicit local inflammation in the nasal cavity, which may in turn influence higher brain function. Nevertheless, evidence that directly supports their causal link is missing. To fill this knowledge gap, we used an inducible mouse model for olfactory inflammation and showed the evidence that this local pathological factor can elicit behavioral abnormalities.

Keywords: Adolescence; COVID-19; Inducible olfactory inflammation; Nasal inflammation; Olfactory epithelium; SARS-CoV-2; Schizophrenia.

MeSH terms

Animals
Brain
COVID-19*
Cognition
Inflammation
Mice
Nasal Cavity*
SARS-CoV-2

Abstract

MeSH terms

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