Effects of intraoral mechanoreceptor stimulation on reticular formation neurones, in the rabbit

The effects of intraoral mechanoreceptor stimulation on the firing rate of single neurones of the brain stem reticular formation (RF) were investigated in rabbits. 30% of RF neurones responded to periodontal mechanoreceptor stimulation; 16% to mucosal mechanoreceptor stimulation and 6% to both types of stimuli. Periodontal stimulation induced mainly inhibitory effects localized within the mesencephalic and rostral pontine RF. Among periodontal afferents incisors were the most widely represented. The effects of mucosal mechanoreceptor stimulation were predominant in the medullary and pontine RF and they were mainly excitatory. The present results support the hypothesis that brain stem RF neurones can be recruited into regulating mastication and biting also by stimulation of intraoral mechanoreceptors.