Relationship between oral function including salivation and cognitive function: Animal model and optogenetics

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K20603
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Orthodontics/Pediatric dentistry
• Research Institution: Okayama University (2017); Kagoshima University (2015-2016)
• Principal Investigator: Ueda Hirotaka 岡山大学, 医歯薬学総合研究科, 助教 (10583445)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 唾液分泌 / 嚥下 / 内臓感覚

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Vagal afferent stimulation significantly increased salivation and swallowing-like events in a frequency-dependent manner. A muscle relaxant, vecuronium bromide, diminished the swallowing-like response but did not affect salivation. Moreover, the tissue blood flow rate of the body surface increased according to the frequency of the vagus nerve stimulation. These results indicate that visceral sensation induces salivation and swallowing-like events in anesthetized rodents through vagal afferent activation.
These findings might contribute a new application of vagus nerve stimulation as to enhancing oral function.

Free Research Field

歯科矯正学