THE OLFACTORY NERVE (I)
The fibers that compose the olfactory nerve arise as the central processes of the olfactory cells of the nasal mucosa. They are collected into a number of filaments that separately traverse the cribriform plate to join the adjacent surface of the olfactory bulb (Figure 8—19/7).
The further course of the olfactory pathways has been described (p. 291).The short course and deep location protect these nerves against casual injury, and though they may be involved in infectious or neoplastic disease, interference with the sense of smell is more often due to blockage of the air passages leading to the olfactory mucosa. The filaments are surrounded by meningeal sheaths enclosing extensions of the subarachnoid space, which provide potential routes for the spread of infection from the nose to the cranial cavity.
The vomeronasal organ is also part of the olfactory system (see p. 352)