Histologic changes to olfactory epithelium in hypothyroid rats

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to immu-nohistochemically evaluate the effects of thyroid hormones on the olfactory epithelium (OE) in adult rats. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: Hypothyroidism was induced in rats by propylthiouracil (PTU) administra-tion. Animals were grouped into 5 consisting of a control group, and 4 groups that had been treated with PTU for 3, 6, 9, or 12 weeks, respectively. The thickness and cell densities of the OE were exam-ined according to the duration of PTU treatment. Changes to OE cell properties were investigated with immunohistochemical stains. RESULTS: No statistically significant differences were found in the thickness and cell densities of the O