[Integration of oral mechanoreception of amphibia]

The study concerns the effects obtained at the medulla by electrical stimulation of mechanoreceptive afferences associated to the hyomandibularis nerve and branches of V and VII cranial nerves of the frog. Each of the afferences examined activates both nuclei of XI and XII in spite of the different medullary input; this action is very similar to that carried out by the mechanoreceptor afferences coming from papillae fungiformes. These result show very well the common ability of all the afferences coming from the mouth to obtain a similar action at the medulla. These properties suggest a convergence of the oral mechanoreceptor information on a mechanism of integration in order to obtain a coordination of the tongue and oesophagus motor reflex.