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

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

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.