Damage to the Cribriform Plate Would Most Likely Affect the Sense

Question

Damage to the cribriform plate would most likely affect the sense of:
A)smell.
B)balance.
C)hearing.
D)vision.

Accepted Answer

The cribriform plate is a thin bone that separates the nasal cavity from the brain. It contains small holes that allow the olfactory nerve fibers (related to the sense of smell) to pass through and connect the olfactory receptors in the nasal cavity to the brain. Damage to the cribriform plate would most likely damage these nerve fibers, resulting in a decreased sense of smell.