Influence of denscnding projection from the prefrontal cortex to the trigeminal caudal subnucleus on the orofacial nociception

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26462782
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Morphological basic dentistry
• Research Institution: Osaka University
• Principal Investigator: Sato Fumihiko 大阪大学, 歯学研究科, 助教 (60632130)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 加藤 隆史 大阪大学, 歯学研究科, 教授 (50367520)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): TSUTSUMI Kanako 大阪大学, 歯学部附属病院, 医員 (20423147)
• Research Collaborator: OHARA Haruka ; Bae Yong Chul ; Sessle Barry J.
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 脳 / 神経回路 / 島皮質 / 三叉神経 / 口腔顔面痛 / 情動

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We have revealed that the granular and dysgranular insular cortices gives off direct, somatotopic projections to the superficial layers of the trigeminal caudal subnucleus which are well known to contain neurons transmitting orofacial pain (Sato et al. 2013, Neuroscience). The present study has for the first time demonstrated that this descending pathway from the insula becomes a feedback pathway to the ascending pathway of orofacial pain through the superficial layers of the trigeminal caudal subnucleus, and that this descending pathway from the insula can make influence (especially inhibitory influence) on the asceding nocicepthve pathway. These data have clearly shown the neuronal mechanisms underlying the strong relationship between the orofacial pain and emotion induced by the pain.

Free Research Field

神経解剖学　口腔解剖学