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Effects of lesions to the trigeminal motor nucleus on temporomandibular disc morphology
Author(s) -
BYRD K. E.,
STEIN S. T.
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
journal of oral rehabilitation
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.991
H-Index - 93
eISSN - 1365-2842
pISSN - 0305-182X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2842.1990.tb01424.x
Subject(s) - morphology (biology) , nucleus , anatomy , spinal trigeminal nucleus , medicine , neuroscience , biology , zoology , nociception , receptor
Summary Stereotaxic surgery was performed on the trigeminal motor nuclei (TMNu) of 47 actively growing rats in order to test the effects of neuromuscular alterations on TMJ disc morphology. Lesioned animals received a small electrolytic lesion to their leftside TMNu, while shams had their TMNu stimulated without an actual lesion being produced. Both lesioned and sham‐lesioned animals demonstrated significant (P<0.05; P<0.01) morphological alterations of their discs 28, 56, and 84 days postoperatively. Data indicated that (i) TMNu lesions do indeed affect disc morphology, and (ii) even subtle damage to trigeminal motoneurones can influence TMJ disc morphology. It is therefore suggested that at least some TMJ disease processes have a neuromuscular basis.