title: Characteristics of tooth pulp-driven neurons in the posterior group of the cat thalamus.
abstract: This investigation was designed to determine the responses of neurons in the posterior group of nuclei (PO) to tooth pulp stimulation. Eighteen tooth pulp-driven (TPD) neurons were recorded in 9 cats anesthetized with nitrous oxide and halothane, 14 of them in the medial part (POM) and the remainder in the lateral part (POL) of the posterior nuclei. These TPD neurons also responded to non-noxious tactile stimuli of the orofacial region of the body. Most TPD neurons responded with a short latency of less than 20 ms to tooth pulp stimulation (mean 13.5 +/- 5.9). The number of teeth having afferents to these neurons was 4-8 (mean 6.7 +/- 1.3).
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Physiology, School of Dentistry, Iwate Medical University, Japan.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Matsumoto
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sawano
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tochinai
authors.forename: T A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Suzuki
mesh_terms: D000344:Afferent Pathways; D000818:Animals; D002415:Cats; D003782:Dental Pulp / Q000294:innervation*; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D013787:Thalamic Nuclei / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*