Department of Sense Organs, Sapienza University of Rome, Policlinico Umberto I, 00161 Roma, Italy.
Department of Human Neuroscience, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy.
Int J Mol Sci. 2024 Mar 31;25(7):3920. doi: 10.3390/ijms25073920.
There is very little knowledge regarding the terminal nerve, from its implications in the involvement and pathogenesis of certain conditions, to its embryological origin. With this review, we try to summarize the most important evidence on the terminal nerve, aiming to clarify its anatomy and the various functions attributed to it, to better interpret its potential involvement in pathological processes. Recent studies have also suggested its potential role in the control of human reproductive functions and behaviors. It has been hypothesized that it plays a role in the unconscious perception of specific odors that influence autonomic and reproductive hormonal systems through the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis. We used the PubMed database and found different articles which were then selected independently by three authors. We found 166 articles, of which, after careful selection, only 21 were analyzed. The terminal nerve was always thought to be unimportant in our body. It was well studied in different types of animals, but few studies have been completed in humans. For this reason, its function remains unknown. Studies suggest a possible implication in olfaction due to the anatomical proximity with the olfactive nerve. Others suggest a more important role in reproduction and sexual behaviors. New emerging information suggests a possible role in Kallmann syndrome and COVID-19.
关于终丝，人们对它的了解很少，无论是它在某些疾病的发生和发病机制中的作用，还是它的胚胎起源。通过这篇综述，我们试图总结终丝的最重要证据，旨在阐明其解剖结构和归因于它的各种功能，以便更好地解释它在病理过程中的潜在作用。最近的研究还表明，它可能在人类生殖功能和行为的控制中发挥作用。有人假设，它在无意识感知特定气味方面发挥作用，这些气味通过下丘脑-垂体-性腺轴影响自主和生殖激素系统。我们使用了 PubMed 数据库，找到了不同的文章，然后由三位作者独立选择。我们找到了 166 篇文章，经过仔细筛选，只分析了 21 篇。终丝在我们的身体中一直被认为是不重要的。它在不同类型的动物中得到了很好的研究，但在人类中完成的研究很少。因此，它的功能仍然未知。由于与嗅神经的解剖关系密切，研究表明它可能在嗅觉中起作用。其他研究表明，它在生殖和性行为方面可能有更重要的作用。新出现的信息表明，它在卡尔曼综合征和 COVID-19 中可能发挥作用。
