Brain, Meninges & CSF Anatomy
Olfactory nerve (olfactory bulb)
The olfactory nerve and bulb are the structures responsible for the sense of smell, passing through the cribriform plate.
In short: Olfactory nerve (olfactory bulb)
- They lie in the region of anterior and transethmoidal encephaloceles.
- They pass through the cribriform plate of the ethmoid.
- They can be affected by skull-base anatomy and surgery.
- They sit directly between the nose and the brain.
What it is
They are the structures responsible for the sense of smell, located at the front skull base. The olfactory nerves pass through the perforations of the cribriform plate from the nose to the brain.
Understanding Olfactory nerve (olfactory bulb)
Their location at the cribriform plate means they are relevant to anterior and transethmoidal encephaloceles and to skull-base surgery in that area. Because they sit directly between the nose and the brain, this region is where nasal encephaloceles connect intracranially — part of why a nasal mass must be imaged before any biopsy.
Why it matters
Understanding the olfactory structures helps families see why the front skull base connects the nose to the brain and why this region is central to anterior and nasal encephaloceles.
Common questions
What do they do?
Provide the sense of smell.
Where are they?
At the front skull base, through the cribriform plate.
Which encephaloceles involve their region?
Anterior and transethmoidal types.
Bottom line
The olfactory nerve and bulb provide smell and lie near anterior encephaloceles at the cribriform plate.
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