Convergence of olfactory and nasotrigeminal inputs and possible trigeminal contributions to olfactory responses in the rat thalamus

To elucidate the role of trigeminal input on the olfactory system, field-evoked potentials were measured following electrical stimulation of the nasociliary branch of the trigeminal nerve in the olfactory-related structures in the rat brain. Significant potential changes were recorded in the mediodorsal nucleus of the thalamus and the lateral hypothalamic area. In the mediodorsal nucleus of the thalamus, the neurons responding to olfactory bulb electrical stimulation also responded to trigeminal nerve stimulation. Single neuronal responses of mediodorsal thalamic neurons following odorant stimulation were enhanced by blockade of the trigeminal nerve with procaine. These results suggest that olfactory and trigeminal pathways converge on the same neural elements within the mediodorsal nucleus of the thalamus and that the trigeminal input may modulate olfactory input in this nucleus.