Nasal cycle (NC) is a rhythmic change of lateralised nasal airflow mediated by the autonomous nervous system. Previous studies reported the dependence of NC dominance or more patent side on handedness and hemispheric cerebral activity. We aimed to investigate firstly the possible lateralised effect of NC on olfactory bulb volume and secondly the association of NC with the lateralised cerebral dominance in terms of olfactory processing. Thirty‐five subjects (22 women and 13 men, mean age 26 ± 3 years) participated in the study. NC was ascertained using a portable rhino‐flowmeter. Structural and functional brain measurements were assessed using a 3T MR scanner. Vanillin odorant was presented during functional scans using a computer‐controlled olfactometer. NC was found to be independent of the olfactory bulb volumes. Also, cerebral activations were found independent of the NC during odorant perception. NC potency is not associated with lateralised structural or functional differences in the cerebral olfactory system.

中文翻译：

---

鼻周期的偏侧化并未反映在嗅球体积和大脑激活中

鼻循环（NC）是由自主神经系统介导的侧化鼻气流的节律变化。先前的研究报道了 NC 优势或更多专利侧对利手性和半球大脑活动的依赖性。我们的目的首先是研究 NC 对嗅球体积可能的偏侧影响，其次是 NC 与嗅觉处理方面的偏侧大脑优势的关联。 35 名受试者（22 名女性和 13 名男性，平均年龄 26 ± 3 岁）参与了这项研究。使用便携式犀牛流量计确定 NC。使用 3T MR 扫描仪评估大脑结构和功能测量。使用计算机控制的嗅觉计在功能扫描过程中呈现香草醛气味。 NC被发现与嗅球体积无关。此外，在气味感知过程中，大脑的激活与 NC 无关。 NC 效力与大脑嗅觉系统的偏侧结构或功能差异无关。