Response properties of lingual mechanosensitive neurons in the trigeminal ganglion of the rat.

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Unitary discharges of lingual mechanosensitive (LM) neurons after mechanical stimulation of the tongue were recorded from the trigeminal ganglion of the rat. LM neurons were distributed in the caudal part of the mandibular division which is located in the caudolateral part of the trigeminal ganglion. The distribution area of LM neurons overlapped with those neurons sensitive to the oro-facial skin and hair, lip, and mandibular incisor and molar teeth. About 90% of LM neurons were slowly adapting (SA), and the remaining 10% were rapidly adapting (RA). The receptive fields of LM neurons were very narrow (<1mmmm<SUP>2</SUP>) and were distributed most densely on the apex, followed by the lateral edge of the tongue. By application of the power law to the relation between the stimulus strength and the magnitude of the responses of SA neurons, the power value to which the stimulus strength was raised was 0.77±0.38. The conduction velocities of LM neurons were less than 2m/sec or 12-16m/sec in the SA neurons, and 12-14m/sec in the RA neurons. These findings suggest that the apex and lateral edge of the tongue are the most important areas in which to discriminate site, intensity and duration of mechanical stimulus, and that lingual sensory input from those regions is important information regarding oro-facial functions, e. g., mastication and deglutition.
歯科基礎医学会の論文