Brainstem mechanisms underlying variations in the occurrence of experimentally elicited rhythmic oral movements in the rat

https://doi.org/10.1016/0003-9969(82)90151-0Get rights and content

Abstract

Mechanical stimulation of the oral cavity of the decerebrate rat induces rhythmic oral movements in some animals but not in others. Reasons for this difference were sought using electrical stimulation of the lip to elicit a variety of responses which were capable of accurate quantification. Neither the digastric reflex threshold, size of suprathreshold response nor the ability to generate rhythmic activity within the brainstem differed in the two groups. Depression of the digastric reflex by an electrical stimulus applied 30–150ms previously was, however, significantly greater in those animals not showing rhythmic oral movements. It is suggested that the two groups differed in their ability to produce rhythmic oral movements because of differences in the level of stimulus related inhibition rather than any tonic effects on trigeminal neuronal activity.

References (29)

  • F. Bremer

    Physiologie nerveuse de la mastication chez le chat et le lapin

    Archs int. Physiol.

    (1923)
  • A.W. Crompton et al.

    The activity of jaw and hyoid musculature in the Virginian opossum, Didelphis virginiana

  • P.G. Dellow et al.

    Evidence for central timing of rhythmical mastication

    J. Physiol.

    (1971)
  • C. Eley et al.

    A method for studying excitability changes in the oral reflexes of the decerebrate rat

    J. Physiol.

    (1977)
  • Cited by (8)

    • Neuronal activities of the vestibular nuclear complex during mechanically induced rhythmic jaw movements in rats

      2012, Brain Research Bulletin
      Citation Excerpt :

      No description has yet been published of the activities of the VN neurons during jaw movements. Rhythmic jaw movements can be induced by mechanical stimulation applied to the palate mucosa (Thexton et al., 1982). In the present study we investigated the neuronal activities of the VN neurons during mechanically induced rhythmic jaw movements.

    View all citing articles on Scopus
    View full text