A touch-guided neural circuit regulates motivated gnawing to maintain dental alignment - PubMed
a day ago
- #dental-alignment
- #sensorimotor
- #neural-circuit
- A touch-guided neural circuit regulates motivated gnawing to maintain dental alignment in rodents.
- Somatostatin-expressing neurons in the spinal trigeminal nucleus oralis act as a central relay for tactile input.
- These neurons receive input from S100b+ Aβ low-threshold mechanoreceptors innervating the incisor periodontium.
- The pathway projects to jaw-closing motor neurons and the ventral tegmental area via the parabrachial nucleus.
- Disruption of this pathway leads to abolished gnawing and severe malocclusion.
- Activation of the pathway triggers dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens.
- Dental alignment is redefined as an active, touch-dependent, circuit-governed process.
- Malocclusion is reframed as a sensorimotor-motivational integration disorder.