Increasing p16INK4a expression during aging is associated with reduced progenitor functions from the subventricular zone, which generates throughout life new neurons migrating to the olfactory bulb, thereby reducing olfactory neurogenesis.
The aging process is associated with a decline in olfactory neurogenesis, which is the creation of new neurons in the olfactory bulb. This decline is attributed to increased p16INK4a expression, which inhibits progenitor cell function within the subventricular zone.