The olfactory tract is a narrow band of nerve fibres running backwards from the olfactory bulb along the olfactory sulcus on the underside of the frontal lobe. Near the anterior perforated substance it widens into the olfactory trigone and divides into lateral and medial olfactory striae. It carries axons of the mitral and tufted cells.
| Location | Olfactory sulcus on the orbital surface of the frontal lobe, between the gyrus rectus and the orbital gyri |
|---|---|
| Parts |
|
| Connections | |
| Blood Supply | Anterior cerebral artery (orbitofrontal branches); Middle cerebral artery (lateral orbitofrontal branch) |
Carries smell signals from the olfactory bulb to the olfactory cortex and amygdala.
Being part of the central nervous system, the tract is covered by meninges and can be compressed by tumours of the anterior skull base, causing loss of smell on one side, which patients often do not notice. Foster Kennedy syndrome combines anosmia and optic atrophy on one side with papilloedema on the other, classically from a frontal tumour. It can be injured during frontal surgery.
Loss of smell on one side from compression of the olfactory tract, often by a frontal tumour.
Anosmia and optic atrophy on one side with papilloedema on the other, caused by a frontal mass.
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