Discover a major milestone in human neuroanatomy!
This 4-minute animation brings to life Dr Victoria Low’s world-first achievement: the first-ever 3D reconstruction of the entire human olfactory system – the complete nose-to-brain pathway responsible for our sense of smell.
Published in November 2024 in the open-access journal Communications Biology (doi: 10.1038/s42003-024-07017-4), this groundbreaking model reveals the intricate microanatomy from the olfactory mucosa in the nasal cavity to the olfactory bulbs in the brain.
Key highlight: The reconstruction shows approximately 2.7 million olfactory sensory neurons projecting through glomeruli structures – providing unprecedented detail on how humans process smells, far more precise than previous estimates or animal models.
This Kiwi-led work at the University of Auckland’s Centre for Brain Research, in collaboration with the Auckland Bioengineering Institute and Max Planck Research Unit for Neurogenetics in Germany, creates an interactive 3D map that opens new possibilities for exploring olfaction, including insights into early changes seen in conditions like Parkinson’s disease where loss of smell is often one of the first signs.
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