Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 7, 2026
05:56
Chronic Unpredictable Mild Stress in Rats based on the Mongolian medicine
Published on: October 27, 2023
Relationship between non-functional masticatory activity and central dopamine in stressed rats
F M Gómez1, J E Ortega, I Horrillo
1Departments of Stomatology Pharmacology, University of the Basque Country, Leioa, Bizkaia, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental, CIBERSAM, Spain. otpgosaf@lg.ehu.es
Journal of Oral Rehabilitation
|November 3, 2010
Summary
Stress can trigger coping behaviors like teeth clenching. This study found that increased dopamine in the prefrontal cortex is linked to severe stress-induced chewing in rats, suggesting a role for this neurotransmitter in stress responses.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Stress and anxiety in humans are linked to diurnal tooth-clenching and other oral behaviors.
- Rodent models show gnawing/biting during stress, involving nigrostriatal and mesocortical dopaminergic systems.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between central dopaminergic activity and stress-induced parafunctional masticatory behavior.
- To clarify the role of dopamine in the prefrontal cortex and striatum during stress-induced coping behaviors.
Main Methods:
- In vivo microdialysis was used to measure extracellular dopamine concentrations in rats.
- Rats were subjected to mild tail pinch stress and divided into groups based on non-functional masticatory activity (NFMA).
Main Results:
- Rats exhibiting severe NFMA showed a significantly greater increase in prefrontal cortex dopamine compared to those without NFMA.
- A positive correlation was observed between the degree of NFMA and the maximal increase in cortical dopamine.
- No significant differences in tail-pinch-induced striatal dopamine levels were found between the groups.
Conclusions:
- Prefrontal dopamine plays a significant role in the expression of stress-induced masticatory coping behaviors.
- These findings support the involvement of the mesocortical dopaminergic pathway in stress-related oral behaviors.
